Consumers prefer both in-person and virtual medical care options, study finds
Nearly 50% of consumers said high quality care, including effective treatments, access to skilled professionals and positive outcomes as most important to their health care experience.
Along with advances in AI, automation and advanced analytics consumers’ expectations of their health care experience is changing. A new study by Huron, a global consultancy firm, found that some patients are eager for innovation in health care, while others prefer a more traditional approach.
According to the study, quality and affordability of health care were ranked as most important to survey participants. Nearly 50% of participants said high quality care, including effective treatments, access to skilled professionals and positive outcomes as most important to their health care experience.
Additionally, 30% of participants said affordability, including reasonably priced services and transparent billing is most important to their health care experience.
While consumers indicated that high costs are the greatest barrier to accessing health care, 32% of respondents said they are willing to pay more for exceptional quality of care and and outcomes.
Beyond quality and affordability, the study found that convenience and personalization are key drivers of consumer choice when it comes to health care. Over 60% of survey participants said that convenient location and short wait times were important factors when deciding where to receive care.
The study also shared that over 50% of survey participants said that on-site diagnostic services, such as lab imaging, and coordinated care among providers and specialists were important considerations while weighing health care options. Forty-eight percent of consumers said they value self-service tools to manage their health care online.
While health care consumers’ comfort with technology and digital preferences differ, the study found that adoption continues to increase. The study found that even though 70% of consumers say they prefer to receive care in person, 84% said virtual care offerings were important to them.
Related: Custom networks provide workaround for employers seeking virtual specialty care coverage
When it comes to digital apps and devices, nearly half of consumers said they use apps at least once a week to manage their health and wellness. According to the study, the top five most used digital apps and devices included online portals for scheduling appointments and accessing medical records, apps for tracking fitness and exercise, wearable devices that track fitness or exercise, text with physician offices to manage appointments and telehealth or virtual visit services.