Patient-Powered Health: Embracing Technology Solutions
By Mary Dominiecki, SVP, US Country Lead
May 22, 2024
Technology continues to be a central part of our lives (how many of us can live without our smart phones?) and health management technology is growing as well. Even older patients are increasingly embracing technology – some more willingly than others. COVID pushed many to use technology more often to stay in contact, whether through social media, texting, or video calls. Health management technology is also becoming more prevalent in doctors’ offices, with many encouraging patients to join their portals to interact with office staff and practitioners.
MD Analytics surveyed 1000 people in the US and 1000 in Canada to see how they are utilizing and leveraging technology as a tool in managing their health. During COVID, many of us were forced to see physicians virtually. Currently, for urgent visits, over 80% of patients prefer in person visits. Even for non-urgent visits, over half prefer in person visits over virtual. Virtual and phone options are preferred for billing questions and booking appointments.
Read More
Roughly 60% of patients are using smartphone apps to track medical conditions. Computer apps, smart watches, tablet apps, and virtual reality apps are much less common. As pharma companies are considering content placement, smartphone apps may be a good channel.
We recently surveyed physicians on their knowledge and use of AI, so we also wanted to find out how patients are using it. Over 25% of patients are using AI before or after medical visits. The most common uses for AI are researching a disease/diagnosis and researching treatments. We expect patients’ use of AI to continue to grow. As such, it is important that we continue to focus on AI and ensure accurate information is available to patients, empowering them to be activate participants in their health.
Infographics may contain select findings from our Independent Studies. Contact us to find out if your organization qualifies for a complimentary presentation with access to the full report.
Past Studies
