Ingest External Health Events

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Overview

In today's digital age, health and wellness data is being generated at an unprecedented rate. With the rise of wearable devices and mobile apps, users are now able to track their physical activity, sleep patterns, and even their mental well-being. However, with this increased data comes the challenge of integrating and processing this information in a meaningful way. In this article, we will explore the concept of ingesting external health events, including those created by native apps or third-party apps on the device.

Description

To receive health events from HealthKit/Google Fit, we will create a POST endpoint to handle incoming data. This endpoint will be responsible for processing and storing the events in a way that is both efficient and scalable.

Endpoint

The endpoint for ingesting external health events is as follows:

POST /api/v1/sync/health-events

Request Body

The request body will contain an array of events, each with its own unique properties. The following is an example of what the request body might look like:

{
  "platform": "healthkit",
  "events": [
    {
      "type": "water",
      "external_id": "healthkit_abc123",
      "recorded_at": "2024-03-28T15:30:00Z",
      "source_app": "Water Minder",
      "data": {
        "ounces": 8
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "mood",
      "external_id": "healthkit_def456",
      "recorded_at": "2024-03-28T16:00:00Z",
      "source_app": "Mindfulness",
      "data": {
        "valence_classification": "pleasant",
        "labels": ["happy", "excited"]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Response

The response from the endpoint will contain information about the events that were processed, skipped, or encountered errors. The following is an example of what the response might look like:

{
  "processed": 2,
  "skipped": 1,  # Already existed
  "errors": [],
  "events": [
    {
      "external_id": "healthkit_abc123",
      "status": "created",
      "internal_id": 456
    },
    {
      "external_id": "healthkit_def456",
      "status": "skipped",
      "internal_id": 789  # ID of existing record
    }
  ]
}

Technical Notes

When designing the endpoint for ingesting external health events, there are several technical considerations that must be taken into account. These include:

  • Check external_id to prevent duplicates: To prevent duplicate events from being created, we must check the external_id of each event to ensure that it does not already exist in the database.
  • Record source platform and app: We must record the source platform and app for each event, so that we can track where the data is coming from.
  • Handle different event types in a single endpoint: We must be able to handle different event types in a single endpoint, without having to create separate endpoints for each type.
  • Validate data schema per event type: We must the data schema for each event type, to ensure that the data is in the correct format.
  • Must handle partial success/failure: We must be able to handle partial success/failure, where some events are processed successfully, while others encounter errors.
  • Should be idempotent: The endpoint should be idempotent, meaning that making the same request multiple times will have the same effect as making it once.
  • Should handle batch processing efficiently: The endpoint should be able to handle batch processing efficiently, without slowing down the system.

Important Considerations

When ingesting external health events, there are several important considerations that must be taken into account. These include:

  1. Need to prevent sync loops (events we created shouldn't come back): We must prevent sync loops, where events that we created are sent back to us as if they were new events.
  2. Need to handle unit conversions (HealthKit uses different units): We must handle unit conversions, where HealthKit uses different units than our system.
  3. Need to merge/update existing records in some cases: We must be able to merge or update existing records in some cases, where the new event contains updated information.
  4. Need to handle different data schemas per platform: We must be able to handle different data schemas per platform, where each platform may have its own unique data schema.

Conclusion

Q: What is the purpose of ingesting external health events?

A: The purpose of ingesting external health events is to collect and process health and wellness data from various sources, such as wearable devices, mobile apps, and health platforms. This data can be used to provide insights into an individual's health and wellness, and to help them make informed decisions about their lifestyle.

Q: What types of events can be ingested?

A: The types of events that can be ingested include physical activity data, sleep data, nutrition data, and mental health data, among others. The specific types of events that can be ingested will depend on the requirements of the system and the data sources available.

Q: How do I prevent duplicate events from being created?

A: To prevent duplicate events from being created, you can check the external_id of each event to ensure that it does not already exist in the database. This can be done by querying the database for the external_id and checking if it exists.

Q: How do I handle different event types in a single endpoint?

A: To handle different event types in a single endpoint, you can use a data schema that is flexible enough to accommodate different event types. This can be done by using a JSON schema or a similar data format that can be easily parsed and processed.

Q: How do I validate the data schema for each event type?

A: To validate the data schema for each event type, you can use a data validation library or a similar tool that can check the data against a predefined schema. This can help ensure that the data is in the correct format and can be processed correctly.

Q: How do I handle partial success/failure?

A: To handle partial success/failure, you can use a transactional approach to processing events. This can involve processing each event individually and committing or rolling back the transaction based on the outcome.

Q: How do I make the endpoint idempotent?

A: To make the endpoint idempotent, you can use a caching mechanism to store the results of previous requests. This can help ensure that making the same request multiple times will have the same effect as making it once.

Q: How do I handle batch processing efficiently?

A: To handle batch processing efficiently, you can use a queuing system or a similar mechanism to process events in batches. This can help ensure that the system can handle a large volume of events without becoming overwhelmed.

Q: What are some common challenges when ingesting external health events?

A: Some common challenges when ingesting external health events include:

  • Handling different data schemas per platform
  • Handling unit conversions
  • Preventing sync loops
  • Merging or updating existing records
  • Handling partial success/failure

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with ingesting external health events?

A: To troubleshoot issues with ingesting external health events, you can use a combination of logging, monitoring, and debugging tools to identify and resolve issues. This can include using tools such as ELK Stack, Relic, or similar tools to monitor system performance and identify issues.

Q: What are some best practices for ingesting external health events?

A: Some best practices for ingesting external health events include:

  • Using a data schema that is flexible enough to accommodate different event types
  • Validating the data schema for each event type
  • Handling partial success/failure
  • Making the endpoint idempotent
  • Handling batch processing efficiently
  • Using a caching mechanism to store the results of previous requests

Conclusion

Ingesting external health events is a complex task that requires careful consideration of several technical and business considerations. By following the guidelines and best practices outlined in this article, developers can create a robust and scalable endpoint for ingesting external health events, that meets the needs of their users and provides valuable insights into their health and wellness data.