Privacy Gaps for Digital Cardiology Data

Mr. M is a 55 year-old man who suffers an acute myocardial infarction (MI) and undergoes coronary stenting. Following hospitalization, he completes cardiac rehabilitation. Thereafter, he is approached about joining a digital smartwatch study to help monitor his health behaviors. He enrolls with enthusiasm, and, feeling empowered, creates a profile on PatientsLikeMe to share lessons from his medical journey. There he reads about an over-the-counter vitamin and downloads a coupon for his local supermarket. Determined to remain accountable for his health, he starts exercising with a fitness trainer and provides her with heart rate data from his smartwatch. He also downloads a mobile nutrition application she recommends.