The future of healthcare visits is going mobile

Ninety-one percent of patients use mobile apps and 80 percent prefer mobile to traditional office visits.  

A study by business and technology consulting firm West Monroe found expansion of digital communication and available patient data will move the healthcare industry beyond the traditional doctor’s visit. Of those polled, 91 percent of respondents say they take advantage of mobile apps when offered, and 80 percent actually prefers mobile to a traditional office visit. Thirty-one percent of patients have used a mobile app to communicate with their healthcare provider about a specific condition.

The study, No More Waiting Room: The Future of the Healthcare Customer Experience, also found two-thirds of patients whose provider doesn’t offer an online portal want one, which supports earlier research finding patients want better mobile access to their records and healthcare options. A recent Harris Poll found that, while patient adoption of digital health tools still remains low, interest in virtual care services is high and the majority of consumers are now choosing primary care providers based on how well they use technology. In fact, 59 percent of all insured patients and 70 percent of millennials report they would select a PCP who had a patient mobile app over one that does not.

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