NEW YORK, NEW YORK--(Marketwired - May 23, 2017) - More than two-thirds of patients and a similar number of physicians expressed interest in using or delivering "digital medicine," according to a study released today by Maru/Matchbox.*
Among potential offerings, the most popular were the "Virtual Visit," and "Second Opinion," both with interest from about two-thirds of patients and physicians. There was a divergence in the appeal of delivering emergency services, which was favored by 54% of patients, but just 34% of physicians. Other areas touched on by the survey included "Urgent Care," where digital delivery is favored by 64% of patients and 60% of physicians, and "Inter-hospital consultations," of interest to 65% of patients, but just 48% of physicians. Hospital-affiliated physicians were intuitively more receptive to the services than those exclusively office-based - 78% vs. 56% overall.
The data was published in a new analysis from Maru/Matchbox: Digital Health in a Time of Transformation: Technology Changes Everything.
"On the patient side, interest in digital medicine is clearly driven by a need for greater convenience," said Lisa Mayernick, Vice President of Healthcare and Financial Services at Maru/Matchbox. "As with other digital offerings, we found that the attraction was greater for millennials than for baby boomers. Physicians are starting to see the writing on the wall and understand the need to begin adopting new technologies in order to compete."
The survey found that while interest in digital medicine is substantial and growing, adoption may be slowed by a number of issues, including insurance coverage and liability concerns on the part of physicians, in particular with regards to emergency services. It noted that at present, just 7% of patients have used Skype or a similar videoconferencing technology to consult with a physician, while fewer than 20% of physicians offered this as a service to patients.
"Our research shows that there is clearly an opportunity for early movers to grow market share by offering digital medical experiences that improve patient satisfaction and increase overall efficiency," said Mayernick. "The key is identifying what will motivate both consumers and the medical community to embrace these changes. We are excited to be working with our clients to uncover opportunities and optimize offers to accelerate the move to a digital future."
About Maru/Matchbox
Maru/Matchbox, a Maru Group company, has been pushing the boundaries of the customer market insights space for over a decade. We are a sector-focused consumer intelligence firm focused entirely on better client outcomes. Our expert teams are deeply invested in key sectors of the economy, delivering insights and analysis backed by superior quality data.
About Maru Group
Maru Group is a technology enabled professional services firm delivering information and insight services. Operating in multiple countries, MARU Group provides research, insight and advisory services to large enterprises across a broad spectrum of industries and markets. Founded in 2016, Maru Group's core area of expertise is providing fast and strategic customer feedback to corporates through a variety of technology platforms. Led by market intelligence industry veteran Ged Parton, Maru Group is backed by Primary Capital Partners LLP, a United Kingdom-based provider of private equity finance for high potential and growth companies.
* This study was conducted using Maru/Matchbox's National Panel, Springboard America, and surveyed 1,300 U.S. patients to start. Maru/Matchbox partnered with SurveyHealthcare, a leading healthcare professional market research recruitment agency, to survey 110 General Practice physicians (mix of office and hospital affiliations) to capture opinions of both sides of the spectrum. Patient survey data was shared with physicians to better understand physician reactions.
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MacMillan Communications
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