HIDA Post-Acute Insights
There has been a lot of talk about how telemedicine could affect patients’ relationships with doctors in the future. HIDA’s latest research shows this field is taking off right now, and big changes are underway.
One in 10 patients report having a televisit with their primary care provider within the last year, and consumers are planning to increase these visits in 2017 at the expense of traditional office visits. The leading reason patients choose televisits is the convenience they offer and because they are highly satisfied with the experience. Compared to a traditional doctors’ office visit, most patients say televisits offer the same quality of care at a reduced cost.
These are just some of the insights from the latest Horizon Report Telemedicine: Patient Perspectives. This report draws on a nationwide survey of over 1,000 patients on their experience with televisits. Below is a deeper look at our findings:
Most patients are upbeat on their recent televisits, with 85 percent reporting they are satisfied with their experience. Additionally, 54 percent report their televisits are better than traditional office visits.
Many respondents praise the convenience of the experience, adding they did not have to take time off from work for their visits or even leave their homes. One respondent described it as the “coolest service ever offered.”
The majority of televisits are 50 years old or younger, with Millennials comprising 60 percent of televisits users. One key reason patients use televisits is to save money, as 40 percent of patients 50 and under with high-deductible health plans used televisits, compared to 26 percent of patients with other types of insurance.
Patients say the top reason for using televisits is convenience. Even patients who currently do not use televisits identify it as a leading benefit. Nearly 30 percent said televisits offered shorter waiting times for speaking to medical personnel.
HIDA’s research indicates that patients plan to increase their televisits in 2017, with a majority saying they plan to replace more than half of traditional office visits with televisits over the next three years. Additionally, offering televisits can increase total physician visits, according to an analysis from the RAND Corporation released earlier this year.
Conclusions from this report support our earlier findings that patients, particularly Millennials, are strongly motivated by quality and convenience. This new generation of patients also seeks providers who make visits convenient for them and offer ways to limit unnecessary visits.
Suppliers still play key role in driving patient satisfaction
HIDA’s earlier Horizon Report Patient Satisfaction: How Medical Products Improve Consumer Experience showed how suppliers have a key role in helping providers improve patient satisfaction. This research revealed that patients want fast results and value up-to-date technology and equipment.
The ability to offer televisits is one key way your physician customers can impress Millennial consumers, since it uses modern technology and is more convenient to patients. Bear this in mind when helping your customers think of new ways to appeal to patients.
To access our telemedicine research, or any of our earlier Horizon Reports, visit www.HIDA.org/HorizonReport.