Walk into any hospital ward and you’ll notice something striking: almost every nurse is wearing a smartwatch. Most doctors aren’t.

This seemingly minor observation points to a deeper shift: a growing gap between those who embrace technology and those who simply tolerate it.

Let’s be clear: when people say that artificial intelligence will replace doctors, what they’re really saying is that competence will replace incompetence. The question isn’t whether machines will replace human expertise. It’s whether professionals who ignore the tools already in the hands of their patients will remain relevant.

Anyone who understands what a smartwatch does can:

• explain it to patients clearly,
• use it to provide more precise and continuous follow-up,
• recommend tech-based solutions that improve outcomes.

The other day, I walked into an Apple Store. I asked about a smartwatch, and the salesperson immediately started asking me health-related questions—not to diagnose me, but to figure out which device could best fit my physiological profile.
That wasn’t medicine. But it was applied health literacy. And this, dear phisycian, is already happening—outside of our clinics.

Meanwhile, I see many doctors attending courses on breathing techniques, nutrition strategies, or even marketing skills. Some attend AI theory seminars that, let’s be honest, remain largely abstract and detached from practice.
Useful? Perhaps.
But while we theorize, the wearable tech industry is moving fast, launching clinically relevant devices every single day, many of which are certified as medical devices.

And yet, many still call them gadgets. Some of these wearables are, in essence, always-on Holter monitors, with live alerts, remote analysis, and seamless integration with AI systems.

As Forrest Gump once said:

“Stupid is as stupid does.”
Dismissing certified medical devices as toys? That’s not smart.

💡 And here’s the key: connectivity.

With 5G and eSIM technology, a simple smartwatch becomes a gateway to massive computational infrastructures. These tiny devices can collect, process, and transmit health data in real time to AI systems housed in data centres the size of buildings.

🔎 In short:

• Technology isn’t replacing doctors—stagnation is.
• Those who understand digital tools can support patients more accurately, continuously, and proactively.
• And yes—this means that someone who is not a doctor may be better equipped to help a patient than you are, simply because they understand the tech.

This isn’t about surrendering your role.
It’s about reclaiming it—with new tools, new vision, and renewed responsibility.

Because those who treat cutting-edge medical devices like gadgets aren’t resisting change—they’re ignoring reality.

Sergio d’Arpa