Eighty percent of people would like the option
to use their smartphones to interact with healthcare providers, results of a
new global survey reveals.
The
survey, conducted by predictive analytics and decision management software
company FICO, also showed that 76% of people worldwide are keen to be reminded
of their medical appointments and 69% would like to receive reminders to
arrange appointments or to prompt them to take their medication.
“The
way healthcare organizations communicate with people is changing, as
individuals become more and more sophisticated about using information
technology to make health-related decisions,” said Stuart Wells, FICO’s Chief
Product and Technology Officer. “The leading health care providers are
increasingly turning to mobile technologies to meet this demand, and to engage
frequently and proactively with consumers.”
These
organizations include government and private insurers, hospitals, pharmacies,
mail-order drug companies, third party administrators and clinics.
The
FICO survey likewise showed that 56% of people worldwide trust healthcare
organizations with personal data. So while e-health records have yet to take
off in many countries, simple innovations around mobile alerts and information
services are helping to build the trust necessary for this trend to continue.
"Privacy
is critically important and consumers are required to opt-in, but given the
benefits of mobile technology in the health care field, that doesn’t appear to
be an impediment to adoption. People are eager to have a dialog with their
healthcare providers in ways that are convenient to them,” Dr. Wells said.
The
potential for mobile technology in health care also ties in with another
emerging trend – an increase in the use of alternative advice channels. Almost
two-thirds of smartphone users want to receive medical advice through digital
channels instead of visiting a doctor. In addition, 71% of smartphone users are
open to offers of relevant healthcare services from businesses, and 53% are
open to provider-initiated communications.
Health Innovation
editors
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