76% of Patients Want to Digitally Manage Healthcare

The great digital shift has extended well beyond the confines of commerce — and with mobile devices in their hands and apps on offer, consumers want to manage their healthcare with high-tech tools.

As detailed in the latest Generation HealthTech report, done in conjunction between PYMNTS and Rectangle Health, out of more than 2,200 individuals surveyed, 76 percent of respondents said they are “very” or “extremely” interested in using at least one digital method to track their health and help them manage interactions with their providers.

See also: Generation HealthTech report

A separate, recent study, Connected Healthcare: What Consumers Want from their Healthcare Customers Experiences (also a collaboration between PYMNTS and Rectangle) found that nearly two-thirds of younger respondents cited interest in digital interactions centered on email and text notifications about appointments. Roughly the same percentage would be interested in receiving test results through digital conduits.

The interest is so great that consumers would be willing to switch providers, according to the data. More than 65 percent of younger consumers – specifically, bridge millennials – said they’d be willing to switch to providers that offer digital healthcare management options.

As for paying for it all, healthcare can be a significant expense, and consumers want some flexibility in how and even when they pay. That’s especially true of the younger generations, and especially true in using tech to help manage the expenses tied to healthcare. The data found that 73 percent of bridge millennials and younger patients would be interested in payment plans.

The Playbook notes, too, some hallmarks of healthcare management tools that consumers expect: Millennial consumers are accustomed to online experiences that prioritize frictionless interactions and simplicity.