By Kerri Knippenberg, Business Development Analyst, DICOM Grid
Twitter: @dicomgrid
Digital health has seen huge growth in 2015 for B2C markets. We have all seen the growth of telemedicine, but that is not the only digital health market to have greatly expanded. Genetic services, mobile health tracking and online physician reviews have all seen growth in the past year. With all of these expanding markets it is interesting to take a look back at consumer’s adoptions towards these markets. Rock Health’s recent national study polled 4,000 consumers on their attitudes towards data privacy and sharing within the healthcare ecosystem. Below are 7 highlights from the study:
- The digital health adoption curve is at a slow incline – Only half of consumers have used some form of digital health. Based on the traits of early adopters, the Rock Health poll found early adopters were more likely to be under the age of 50 and a smartphone owner.
- The most commonly used digital health adoption is ‘searching online for health information’ – Searching online for health information has become so trusted that 40% of consumers from the Rock Health poll claim that they act directly upon the information they search. The most commonly searched category is prescription drugs.
- Nearly half of Americans go online to check physician reviews – Americans have been using physician search engine tools, like ZocDoc for finding a physician, but also to check that the reviews and comments about regarding that physician.
- Health information is still being tracked on paper – Most consumers choose to use a pen and paper to track their key health information over using their mobile phone or an app.
- Wearable devices are being bought with the intention of losing weight – Consumers are doing a great job of buying weareables like Apple’s Sport Watch with the intention of losing weight or to be active. There is little research on the success of these devices for helping with weight loss.
- Consumers seem themselves using genetic services in the future – There has not been an increase in consumer adoption towards the use of genetic services. However, the same consumers said they would consider using genetic services in the future.
- Physicians are most trusted with personal health information – When compared to insurance companies, research organization, Biopharma, Government and Technology services, physicians are still the most trusted with consumer personal health information.
It will be interesting to see the growth of consumers digital health adoptions in 2016.
This article was originally published on DICOM Grid and is republished here with permission.