Columbus, OH– What’s the toughest part about getting the medical care you need? Is it finding the right doctor for your unique situation? Is it finding an appointment that can fit into your busy schedule? Is it your outlandish copay? Relief for this arduous process may finally be within reach (or within a click).

The technological advancement of telehealth has given us the opportunity to take control of our personal health in interesting new fashions. A recent survey from Harris Poll shows that this customization of personal health may have a major impact on three core areas in the healthcare delivery process.

Choosing a Doctor

Finding the right doctor is often the first roadblock on the journey to a healthy life. It’s a time consuming and expensive process that can leave people feeling more lost than they already were. Video consultations with doctors are growing in popularity and opening new doors for finding doctors that fit personalized needs, often at a more affordable price than a standard office visit.

  • 64% of patients say that they are willing to visit a doctor via a telehealth platform such as video consultations
  • 20 million adults would be willing to switch from their current doctor to a telehealth doctor.

Who’s even more excited to make the switch to video visits? You guessed it, the up for whatever millennials. Eleven percent of millennials are willing to switch from their primary care doctor to one that offers video consultations.

After Hours Care

What’s your first inclination when you or a loved one spikes a fever late in the night? I’m guessing it’s probably not the head back to bed and deal with it in the morning approach.

  • 44% of patients would go to an emergency room if they or a loved one spiked a high fever in the middle of the night.
  • 21% would choose a video visit with a doctor.

 

Telehealth may be a viable option in non-emergency situations, but from the survey we can see that many patients still find comfort in physically speaking with a doctor about their possibly critical (possibly nothing) condition.

Primary Care

Prescription medication often requires an in-office visit every month just to get refills and establish that everything is going well. The modern consumer has become underwhelmed with this tedious touch base system when things are operating as anticipated.

  • 70% of consumers prefer to have an online video visit than an in-office visit to obtain common primary care prescriptions.
  • 60% of consumers indicate that they would use telehealth for prescription refills.
  • 40% of consumers would use telehealth to manage a chronic condition.

 

These dynamic changes in healthcare delivery will continue to shape how we receive our care and how we envision the modern doctor’s visit. The only question is how quickly are we willing to adopt these new methods of delivery?

About the Author:

As Managing Director of Innovation and Insights for Syneos Health Communications, Leigh is responsible for building and scaling a global team of healthcare experts who together help life science leaders better understand the complex lives, influences and expectations of their customers. Specifically, they uncover actionable insights that fuel empathy and creativity; lead co-creation events that let marketers learn from peers, trends, and new possibilities; and help clients identify the most valuable and useful new customer experiences to create.

Leigh has worked with Fortune 1000 companies to craft their digital, mobile, social and CRM strategies for nearly 20 years.She’s worked for category-leading agencies in retail, public affairs, B2B technology, and higher education. Prior to moving to Syneos Health Communications, she held several leadership roles at our largest agency, GSW.  There, she founded an innovation practice fueled by the zeitgeist and spearheaded digital and innovation thinking across the business.

Leigh has taken a special interest in complex healthcare products that can change lives in meaningful ways. She was recently a strategic lead on the 3rd largest launch in pharmaceutical history: Tecfidera. Before that she had keys roles with Eli Lilly Oncology, Abbott Nutrition, Amgen Cardiovascular, and Eli Lilly Diabetes.

A critical part of Leigh’s work is trends and new ideas. Every year, she convenes a group of trend watchers from across our global network to identify the shifts most critical to healthcare marketers. This year, she led over 250 experts to experts to focus on the most important changes in the commercial, consumer, marketing, digital and healthcare landscapes. (See reports at trends.health)

Leigh is a sought-after writer and speaker. Recognized as one of the most inspiring people in the pharmaceutical industry by PharmaVoice and Top 10 Innovation Catalysts of 2017 by MM&M, Leigh also was recognized  as a Rising Star by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) for her overt passion, industry thought leadership and significant contributions in new business, strategy and mentoring.