Report: Physicians embracing digital tools to boost outcomes

Physicians are increasingly turning to digital tools to achieve outcomes-based incentives, according to an annual market research study published by Manhattan Research.

Of physicians surveyed, 47 percent had shown patients with smartphones images or videos on their devices and more than one-third of physicians reported they had recommended health apps during the past year, according to the study.

Telemedicine and remote care use also is on the upswing, as nearly one-quarter of physicians reported they or their teams have communicated with patients through a patient portal during the past year, and more than one in five having done so using secure messaging platforms. Also, more than one in five physicians monitored patients remotely, and such physicians monitored an average of 22 patients per month.     

"There's a perception out there that the shift in focus to population health isn't yet on physicians' radar. This data shows physicians are thinking about patient outcomes and indicates an opportunity for companies that can provide them digital tools to help them meet their targets," Manhattan Research’s Vice President of Research Monique Levy said in a statement.