CLEVELAND — Ken Counihan has always been a healthy guy.

“I can usually run a couple miles without a problem,” Counihan said.

But that changed in 2022.

What You Need To Know

  • A northeast Ohio man credits his smartwatch with saving his life

  • 50% of Americans use at least one type of technology to monitor their health, according to a recent Cleveland Clinic survey

  • The survey also found that nearly 80% of people who use a device to monitor their health noticed positive changes 

Counihan has always been a healthy guy.

“I can usually run a couple miles without a problem,” Counihan said.

But that changed in 2022.

“I started having symptoms. I could only run maybe a quarter to a half a mile, had to stop, take some breaths, keep going,” he said.

His body and his watch were beginning to send him messages.

“I just figure I just I gotta plow through it. So, I did until I got the alerts,” Counihan said.

A recent survey by the Cleveland Clinic found people are taking more control of their health since they started using a device. The survey found that 50% of Americans use at least one type of technology to monitor their health.

“I sent a letter to the CEO of Apple and said, ‘Your Apple watch saved my life,’” said Counihan.

Dr. Nicholas Ruthmann is a cardiologist and director of Digital Health at the Cleveland Clinic. He said he is a big fan of the technology.

“I really enjoy the idea of taking this data, sometimes, it’s an overwhelming amount of data, but usually through that we can find trends. We can determine what someone’s personalized and very individualized heart risk is and really guide next steps in their care,” Ruthmann said. “I’m not saying everyone that has an alarm on their watch ultimately has heart disease or could have, but in the right context with symptoms, things that are found on a watch or any wearable could signal that there’s something going on with the heart."

The survey also showed that nearly 80% noticed positive changes to their physical or mental health from using a device.

“There’s a lot of behavioral mechanisms that are built into some of these wearables that are leaning into out tendencies with nudges and reminders to engage in more steps or move and do the next thing, almost in a gamification way. People are really motivated by that,” Ruthmann said.

The health scare inspired Counihan to start a podcast, "Eat Better Food Today!" It focuses on longevity and eating healthy. Part of the proceeds from the podcast will benefit the food bank St. Philomena Church in Cleveland.

“A lot of people that living now into their mid to late 80s, but they’re in wheelchairs or they’ve got chronic diseases. They’re not enjoying those later years of their lives because they’re eating food that is not healthy,” Counihan said.

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