Accenture Study Predicts Healthcare’s Future is Virtual

The release of Accenture’s 2019 Digital Health Consumer Survey proves what we’ve been saying for years; today’s healthcare consumer is digital, interactive, and forcing healthcare providers to change patient encounter workflows to encompass telehealth as the new normal. The report proves that healthcare providers can no longer afford to drag their feet on telehealth adoption; our customers today and in the future are increasingly requesting the convenient access offered by the virtual house call.

Everyone in healthcare, from the health system C-suite to the smallest independent family practice physician, will be affected by the coming trends outlined in Accenture’s report. This article will take a look at their recent findings and the implications for the U.S. healthcare system and the clinicians who work there.

Global consulting giant Accenture recent released their 2019 Digital Health Consumer Survey on trends affecting the American healthcare paradigm. What they found may shock old-school traditionalists who believe medicine should always be delivered in a face-to-face clinical setting. Today’s modern healthcare consumer is digitized, Internet-savvy, and on-demand; and the physicians that fail to accommodate the buying patterns that accompany these attitudes will most certainly fall behind.

The new healthcare consumer now and in the future are less likely than ever before to enter the healthcare safety net at the level of the primary care provider. Gen Z (born between 1996 and 2010) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) prefer the convenience of a Minute Clinic or a wellness practice such as acupuncture or other non-Western medical resources over the established relationship with a trusted care provider. In 2019, Millennials will become the largest generation, which will surely influence healthcare models in the coming years.

According to the Accenture survey, this younger population is frequently dissatisfied with traditional models of care. Polling data show they will increasingly look for healthcare models that are more transparent, convenient, and efficient over traditional care models citing dissatisfaction with:

• The effectiveness of treatment.
• Responsiveness to follow up questions outside of the appointment via phone or email.
• Transparency about treatment options and care provided.
• The cost and transparency of the cost of the treatment.
• The efficiency of the service and wait times.
• The convenience of the location of the service.
• The speed of the appointment.

The convenience of care is a reoccurring theme from today’s healthcare consumers. While insurance coverage, i.e. is my provider in-network, is important, the top-ranked factor influencing U.S. Healthcare consumers is the convenience of when and where to seek medical treatment. The Accenture study suggested that U.S. consumers look at the following factors when seeking medical treatment:

• Accepts their insurance.
• Is low or lower cost than other options.
• Has a convenient location.
• Has a reputation for providing excellent care.
• Has been recommended by a healthcare provider (i.e. specialty referral).
• Offers shorter wait times.
• Has been recommended by a family member or friend.

The majority of younger and older consumers polled stated that cost transparency was their number one factor in choosing a healthcare provider. Younger generations place a higher importance on the speed of the appointment, both in setting the appointment and it the time spent seeing the doctor.

Interestingly, these consumers rate non-traditional services, like telehealth, non-Western medicine, or retail clinic models, with the same or similar satisfaction levels of the on-site clinical encounter. For example, patient satisfaction showed very or extremely satisfied with:

• Treatment effectiveness: 63% traditional visit; 53% non-traditional.
• Convenience of the service: 62% traditional visit; 57% non-traditional.
• Transparency about care: 61% traditional visit; 51% non-traditional.
• Convenience of appointment times: 56% traditional visit; 55% non-traditional.

Over one-half of the consumers polled said digital capabilities are important to their choosing a provider, whether it’s prescription refills or scheduling. In 2019, the survey said 70% of our patients are more likely to select a provider that texts or emails follow-up reminders for care. More than one-half say they are likely to use remote monitoring or other telehealth tools and select a provider that offers them. 69% of U.S. healthcare consumers say they want to be able to communicate with their doctors via secure email or text. Younger consumers report they are much more likely to select healthcare providers with digital capabilities.

The Accenture findings also illustrated that care is moving away from the hospital to non-traditional models for treatment. This includes:

• 57% of patients have used outpatient day surgical hospitals.
• 47% have used a retail or walk-in clinic.
• 30% of those surveyed said they have used some form of virtual care.
• 18% have used some sort of other on-demand care.

Non-traditional healthcare is now selected for a variety of services and treatments beyond cold or virus treatment. This includes:

• Treatment for physical injury including on-the-job worker’s compensation claims.
• Minor surgery such as biopsy, tonsillectomy, or other procedures.
• Therapy for mental health conditions.
• Sexually transmitted disease screening and treatment.
• Major surgeries such as orthopedics or other one-day treatments.

Half of American consumers are now using walk-in clinics for their convenience and affordability.

These signs suggest a new level of consumerism around on-demand healthcare services. Healthcare providers have recognized for years that the old “if you build it they will come models will no longer work. The drive from volume to value and the changes to reimbursement that they bring will continue to shift traditional care models to accommodate better efficiencies and lowered costs in the healthcare delivery models of the future.

The new healthcare consumer of the future will demand greater accountability and transparency of service delivery and cost. They will also expect providers to have access to the latest in digital tools to improve the convenience of care delivery. Healthcare providers in hospital and small clinical settings can no longer afford to shift their patient encounter workflows to accommodate these models.

To discuss how digital delivery of healthcare services will affect your practice in the future, talk with the team at OrthoLive.