Is digital healthcare being strong-armed by myths? According to a new study done by McKinsey & Company, the desire for digital healthcare is growing steadily, despite the fact that there are many myths about the future of this digital era.
People don’t want to use digital services for healthcare
The field of healthcare is host to a sea of confidential information. Because of this, many believe that patients lack a desire to use digital services in an effort to protect themselves and their health information.
The research, conducted across multiple countries, found this to be entirely inaccurate.
In fact, 75% of all the patients who participated in the study fully expect to be using digital services in the near future.
Only young people want to use digital services
Another primary concern about the use of digital services in the healthcare setting is that digital services may not be able to reach the appropriate users. People are convinced that older populations are brimming with technological laggards who will be unable to access these resources. McKinsey found that people over 50 years of age want digital services for their own personal healthcare nearly as much as the younger populations.
“More than 70 percent of all older patients in the United Kingdom and Germany want to use digital healthcare services; in Singapore, that number is even higher.”
We start to see a disconnect when we take a look at the types of channels that these different populations are willing to access and use for their own healthcare. The younger populations are often more open to the idea of using new-age resources, such as social media, while the older population is more likely to stick with websites and e-mail.
Mobile health is the game changer
Virtually every large brand that has anything to do with health and wellness has launched some sort of fitness tracker. Mobile health, without a doubt, is a game changer. But that does not necessarily make it the be all and end all for healthcare. The strength of interest in mobile healthcare is not universal and users utilize their mobile health tools in very different ways. Mobile health and tracking is favorable amongst younger populations but is not being quickly adopted by the older populations.
Patients want innovative features and apps
Innovation has become a household word in the field of mobile applications and across the board in our technology-focused world. Tech companies believe they must create break-through features and applications with social media capabilities in order to engage users. However, for most patients, better apps with social media capabilities do not necessarily mean higher adoption rates or stronger engagement.
A comprehensive platform of service offerings is a prerequisite for creating value
The name of the game for creating value within a platform is utility. The healthcare system is a complex structure with numerous moving parts and people need applications they can use in their day-to-day lives now more than ever.
Picking out a healthcare specialist and knowing when and where to pick up prescriptions may sound like mundane tasks, but are often exactly what the patient needs the most help with.
