Modernizing Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Are Patients Willing to Share Smartphone-Derived Health Data in Spine Clinics for Digital Phenotyping?

Background: Digital phenotyping involves the passive collection of behavioral and biometric data via smartphones and other personal devices. This emerging technology has the potential to transform outcome measurement in spine treatment by providing real-time objective data. Despite its promise, clinical adoption remains limited. This study aimed to assess patients’ comfort, willingness, and perceived barriers to digital phenotyping within a North American spine clinic. Methods : A single-center cross-sectional survey was administered to patients attending in-person appointments at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute between February and March 2025. The survey collected demographic data, familiarity with digital tools, comfort with data sharing, willingness to participate in digital phenotyping, and perceived barriers to participation. Results : A total of 183 patients completed the survey. Most respondents (61%) reported being comfortable sharing digital biometric data with their spine care team; however, 58% expressed concerns about data privacy. Preferences for outcome measurement methods were split: 38% were willing to undergo digital phenotyping, while 36% favored traditional survey strategies (e.g., paper-based or electronic surveys). Surprisingly, logistic regression to control for potential confounding demonstrated that age, gender, higher educational attainment, and current use of biometric technologies were not significantly associated with willingness to participate. Conclusion : Most patients appear open to integrating digital phenotyping into spine care, particularly those with higher education and prior experience using biometric tools. Privacy concerns remain the most common barrier to participation. Future implementation strategies should prioritize transparent data governance and flexible, patient-centered participation options to support broader and more equitable adoption.