How to Use Device Data

Owned by Kyle McGrogan
Last updated: Oct 11, 2023
3 min read

Most interventions require actions or logic to be performed as a result of participant data. This can be for adherence tracking, messaging, or more. There are two main ways an intervention can be configured to be reactive to participant data.

Data Collection Events

One method for performing actions from data and tracking adherence is to use a Data Collection event. This is an event type which is used to process data that comes in for a specified window of time. You can read about how to set up a Data Collection event here: 'Collect Data' Event

The exact behavior of a Data Collection event is a combination of how it is defined on the event page, and how the device. In the Advanced Settings section of a device, there are a number of options around how we determine which piece of data is attached to the Data Collection event when it closes:

Selection Strategy determines which piece of data attaches to the event when there are multiple data points inside the event window.

Selection Field determines which field of data WTH should use for a particular device to determine whether a participant completed or was compliant to the encounter.

Attach data and close encounter... indicates when the encounter should close. In general, “As soon as data is available” will be used when you are waiting for any user input, while “Wait until the end of the encounter window” will be used when you are going to look at all data in a given day.

When an already-completed encounter gets new data... determines whether new data replaces the previously attached data on a closed event.

Apply feedback... indicates what action WTH should take if the Collect Data event gets new data attached to it after it is closed.

If data attaches late to an event... allows for creation of an incident in the case of late data.

 

Once data is attached to an event, it can be used in event logic to determine follow-up behaviors.

 

Data Variables

Another way in which Way to Health enables you to perform actions based on your collected data is through Participant Data Variable. Once you have one of these variables defined, you can use it in messaging, logic, or other variables.

 

 

 

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What’s the difference between “Timestamp” and “Received in W2H”?

Timestamp refers to when the vendor says the data is for. Received in W2H refers to when that data made it into the platform.

Example:

On 10/05/2023, a participant walked 8429 steps. On 10/06/2023, Way to Health asks Fitbit how far the participant walked the previous day. In Manage Data, the Timestamp will be some time during 10/05/2023 since that is when the data is for while Received in W2H will be some time on 10/06/2023 since that is when the data made it into W2H.

If there are multiple rows in manage data for a Collect Data event window, how do I change which value attaches?

 

What is device latency?

Device Latency is a period of time that Data Collection events will wait before closing to allow for data to be collected. This will usually allow a device to ensure all data for the previous day is in the platform before closing.

Why does data come in late?

There are a number of reasons that data may come in late, which depends on the device. Some common reasons for data to not come in, or come in late:

  • The participants phone is not paired with the device

  • The participants phone may be out of a service area

Both of these could cause delays in the data making it from the device to Way to Health.