5 Digital Healthcare Services Myths
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
McKinsey survey reveals truths about consumer attitudes towards digital healthcare services and offers tips for providers.
A recent survey by McKinsey & Company addresses some myths about consumer use of digital healthcare services and provides guidance for providers interacting with those consumers moving forward.
Myth 1: People don’t want to use digital services for healthcare
A common perception among healthcare executives is that, due to the sensitive nature of medical care, patients are reluctant to use digital services except in a few specific situations. Yet the McKinsey & Company survey demonstrate that the reason patients are slow to adopt digital healthcare is primarily because existing services don’t meet their needs or are of poor quality, not because they are reluctant to adopt digital solutions. Across all the countries in our survey, more than 75 percent of respondents would like to use digital healthcare services, as long as those services meet their needs and provide the level of quality they expect.
Myth 2: Only young people want to use digital services
Survey findings reveal that patients from all age groups are more than willing to use digital services for healthcare. In fact, patients over 50 want digital healthcare services nearly as much as their younger counterparts. However, there is a difference between the kinds of digital channels older and younger patients want to use. While they are looking for different platforms, both groups seek information at the same rates.
Myth 3: Mobile health is the game changer
While mobile health is often hailed as the future of digital services in healthcare, this study emphasized that demand for mobile healthcare is not universal. Health systems should create mobile solutions that target their audience – for example, apps that focus on prenatal health or those that could be classified as lifestyle apps. They should also be wary of solutions that could have a lot of impact but are not of interest to the segment in question – digital applications to manage chronic conditions typically found in older people, for example.
Myth 4: Patients want innovative features and apps
Another common misconception among health systems, payers, and providers is that they believe that innovation is necessary when designing their digital-service offerings. The study shows, however, that the core features patients expect from their health system are surprisingly mundane: efficiency, better access to information, integration with other channels, and the availability of a real person if necessary. Innovative is not necessarily better for patients.
Myth 5: A comprehensive platform of service offerings is a prerequisite for creating value
Many healthcare institutions also believe that “bigger is better” when going digital, providing a platform of offerings along the entire spectrum of services. In reality, starting small and acting fast is more likely to be of benefit. Across the globe, patients most often cite “finding and scheduling physician appointments” as the service with which they need assistance.
Once healthcare organizations understand the myths and realities about what patients want from digital healthcare, there are three steps that can help them begin their journey toward the third wave of digitization.
The first step is to understand what it is that patients really want and the best way to give it to them. Second, organizations should segment their services according to basic criteria such as the amount of investment required, estimated patient demand, and value created through the service. And finally, healthcare companies should continually add new services designed to keep patient attention and build value.