Today’s consumers have high expectations for seamless and connected digital experiences. These statistics point to what the U.S. population not only expects but also demands from digital health care experiences.
Consumers have embraced digital: They shop via mobile devices, stream entertainment on internet-connected TVs, and stay connected with friends and family on social media. Today’s consumers have high expectations for seamless and connected digital experiences in health care as well.
We scoured the web to gain a better understanding of how Americans use digital channels in health care. These statistics point to the rise of a more empowered, and more digital, U.S. population – one that not only expects, but also demands, digital health care experiences.
1. Seventy-five percent of U.S. consumers say technology is important to managing their health. (Source: Accenture)
2. People are highly satisfied with virtual care. According to a recent survey, 94% of people who have recently used virtual care said they definitely or probably would use it again. (Source: J.D. Power)
3. Convenience is key. In a recent survey, 69% of people said they use virtual care because it is more convenient than an in-person appointment. (Source: AHIP)
4. Virtual care is helping meet behavioral health needs. A recent study found roughly 1 in 3 outpatient behavioral health visits were conducted virtually – with 35% of outpatient visits for depression and 38% for anxiety conducted virtually. (Source: KFF)
5. Nearly two-thirds of consumers say they would be comfortable using emerging technologies – such as robotics, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence – for preventive care and health monitoring. (Source: Evernorth)
6. Sixty-eight percent of people are more likely to choose a medical provider who offers the ability to book, change, or cancel appointments online. (Source: GetApp)
7. Mobile apps are helping people take their medications as prescribed. Those who use a mobile app to support medication adherence are twice as likely to say they are adherent than those who do not use the apps. (Source: BMJ Journals)
8. Wearable devices are increasing in popularity. The number of wearable medical sensors and devices like smart patches that measure heart rate, along with smartwatches and fitness trackers, continues to accelerate each year, with the annual volume shipped globally expected to nearly double from 2021 to 2024. (Source: Straits Research)
9. One in three smartphone owners monitor health and fitness through their phone. In addition, 44% of older adults (ages 50-80) use at least one mobile health app, and 25% of them have shared health information with their providers. (Source: Deloitte)
10. Almost all adults in the U.S. (90%) search for health-related information on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media sites. (Source: Medical GPS)
These statistics on consumer adoption of digital channels in the health care space make it clear that people have embraced the convenience, comfort, and value of digital health care experiences. Pursuing innovation in the digital space will help transform our fragmented health care system and reorient it around consumers, allowing for more intuitive, personalized, engaging, and effective health care.