42% of global health consumers say access is poor 2023
Consumers value access to care highest, according to the EY Global Consumer Health Survey 2023 released today. Consumers place a high value on availability, but almost half (42%) assess their access to care as below average.
The study, which surveyed over 6,000 consumers in the US, Australia, Canada, Ireland, England, and Germany, found that health executives should remove barriers and provide hassle-free care models to give consumers the access and experience they value most.
Consumers desire cost-effectiveness and pain and anxiety reduction, therefore global health care reform should prioritize these.
Global Health Leader Aloha McBride:
“Looking at value through the lens of providers and payers seems to leave the consumer—the most important participant in health care—out of the value equation.
Organizations could explore paying more attention to personal preferences and what matters most to customers regarding their health and treatment via three lenses of people, process, and place to improve patient-centered health systems.
Health system performance is good but can be better.
Nearly half (49%) of consumers in the 6 geographies rate their health systems as above average. All nations ranked health systems’ introduction of new medical treatments and innovations (48%), optimization of the entire health experience regardless of race, geography, or personal condition (46%), and simplicity of use (44%).
In-person consultations preferred over virtual treatment.
Despite global virtual capabilities, 71% of respondents choose face-to-face consultations for overall visit quality. In-person allows them to show health providers their condition (84%) and build stronger relationships with physicians (77%).
Virtual consultations are useful for medication renewals (67%), test results (61%) and time savings (57%). These findings imply that health organizations should investigate what customers value in virtual care, when, and why. The findings imply that health systems should tailor virtual experiences to customer categories.
Data transparency is crucial.
3 in 4 consumers in six markets would allow their electronic health information to be automatically shared with medical institutions.
However, 79% of respondents stated that they want to know how personal health information would be secured and used.
The poll indicated that consumers are willing to disclose physiological data, lifestyle choices, and nutrition/dietary information they feel might benefit their health.
Consumer health outlook
Consumers were generally amenable to data-sharing but wary about futuristic items. About two-thirds are willing to use new technologies like genetics-based testing (68%), and 60% are willing to be treated in a hospital-in-the-home program.
31% are unwilling to adopt high-tech health items like smart pills that send messages to the consumer’s phone.
“As the care delivery model shifts toward the home, powered by wearables and informed by patient data, consumers should be brought along, step by step, so they can develop comfort with diverse health care settings and care models,” adds McBride.
The survey found that 60%-67% of people believe remote monitoring and patient care will become a reality in the next ten years, so health systems should start educating them on how these technologies can keep consumers healthier at home longer and provide better value for the system and the consumer.
