New Study Highlights Healthcare And Plan Priorities For Consumers
New research finds that while patients are interested in using digital healthcare services, they still value high-quality interactions with their doctors. The survey was conducted by the
Health plans increasingly vary in what combination of traditional and digital services or features they offer members, especially as new technologies and innovations are introduced by the healthcare industry. With this in mind, BCBSAZ and the USC Schaeffer Center collaborated on a survey to better understand consumer priorities in this new environment.
"It's our job to adapt the current healthcare ecosystem so that it aligns with how people want to receive their care today," says
BCBSAZ and the USC Schaeffer Center developed a survey aimed at evaluating consumer healthcare priorities, demand for health plan features, and interest in using digital healthcare services.
"Polling data suggest that the tide has turned in the last decade, and consumers are now more focused on costs and affordability than access to a broad network of providers," says
Snapshot of Consumer Interest in Digital Services
Digital healthcare services have the potential to enhance patient experience while helping to reduce costs and there is widespread belief that they will transform the industry. Yet, there is relatively limited understanding of consumer interest in adopting these new technologies, especially if it supplants traditional care delivery. In order to understand consumer demand for digital healthcare technologies, the survey used a combination of questions on consumer interest, priorities, and willingness to pay.
More than half of respondents said they would be likely to have a virtual office visit to get immediate answers to urgent healthcare issues, while almost seven-in-ten indicated they would be likely to use an app or online system for appointment scheduling and health care reminders. When asked to consider a hypothetical health plan that offered these virtual visits and online services, 45 percent of respondents indicated that they would be willing to pay more for them (averaging
However, when required to prioritize, respondents ranked other aspects of healthcare interactions – like high-quality interactions with their doctor – much higher than access to digitalized services.
"These findings highlight why we need rigorous survey techniques to really understand consumer preferences," said Goldman. "People will say they are interested in many features, but in the real world they must make tradeoffs with valuable premium dollars to meet their priorities."
The findings will be used to provide insight regarding priority areas for subsequent research and policy analysis. It will also set a baseline for future consumer research.
"The survey tells us that, while respondents care about affordability, they also value quality time with their provider," said Kehaly. "We are working to better understand how to meet these priorities, using all the tools – including the exciting new technologies that are improving everyday – to make this happen."
The survey was conducted in
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