Study: Americans want connectivity in healthcare, worried about costs
Americans want and expect connectivity and convenience from their doctor’s office, according to the second annual HealthCare Check-Up Survey from Intuit Health. Seventy-three percent of Americans surveyed would use a secure online communication tool to make it easier to get lab results, request appointments, pay medical bills and communicate with their doctor’s office.
“The convenience of anytime, anywhere access is so important that almost half would consider switching doctors for a practice that offered the ability to communicate and complete important healthcare tasks online,” the survey continued.
Compiled by Decipher Research for Intuit Health in January 2010, the survey polled 1,000 American adults online.
The survey also found that rising costs continue to be a major concern for people; 70 percent said they are somewhat or very concerned about managing their healthcare bills and 62 percent said their healthcare costs increased in 2010. While 66 percent believed their healthcare costs will increase in the future, baby boomers were most concerned with rising costs: 66 percent said their costs have increased and 72 percent are most concerned with rising costs in the future.
“Patient anxiety is rising,” the survey reported. "Forty-one percent of consumers do not have confidence that the billed amount in medical bills is correct and one in five respondents is unsure whether to pay their doctor or the insurance company." Additionally, 45 percent of patients wait more than a month to pay their doctor bill, and when they pay, half still send a paper check in the mail.
Accounts receivable can become bad debt, the survey found. “Fifty-seven percent have had at least one medical bill go to a collection agency.”
The survey also concluded that increasing consumer utilization and comfort with online tools is extending to healthcare:
“The convenience of anytime, anywhere access is so important that almost half would consider switching doctors for a practice that offered the ability to communicate and complete important healthcare tasks online,” the survey continued.
Compiled by Decipher Research for Intuit Health in January 2010, the survey polled 1,000 American adults online.
The survey also found that rising costs continue to be a major concern for people; 70 percent said they are somewhat or very concerned about managing their healthcare bills and 62 percent said their healthcare costs increased in 2010. While 66 percent believed their healthcare costs will increase in the future, baby boomers were most concerned with rising costs: 66 percent said their costs have increased and 72 percent are most concerned with rising costs in the future.
“Patient anxiety is rising,” the survey reported. "Forty-one percent of consumers do not have confidence that the billed amount in medical bills is correct and one in five respondents is unsure whether to pay their doctor or the insurance company." Additionally, 45 percent of patients wait more than a month to pay their doctor bill, and when they pay, half still send a paper check in the mail.
Accounts receivable can become bad debt, the survey found. “Fifty-seven percent have had at least one medical bill go to a collection agency.”
The survey also concluded that increasing consumer utilization and comfort with online tools is extending to healthcare:
- Nearly 20 percent of Americans felt they cannot easily reach their doctor’s office to ask questions, make appointments or obtain lab results.
- Eighty-one percent of respondents would schedule their own appointment via a secure web service and fill out medical/registration forms online prior to their appointment.
- Seventy-eight percent of respondents would use a secure online method to access their medical histories and share information with their doctor.