Displeased for decades by opacity and inefficiency, consumers are forcing the healthcare sector to shift digital faster and more fully as patients increasingly identify as digital-first, bringing with them the instant, seamless expectations acquired through years of smartphone-powered living.
For the study “Accessing Healthcare: Easing Digital Frictions in the Patient Journey” a PYMNTS and Experian Health collaboration, more than 2,300 consumers were surveyed in late January, resulting in the identification of four distinct personas and the ways each experience their healthcare journey.
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The four patient personas are the Digital-First (35.4%) who want digital engagement across at least five healthcare activities; the Mostly Digital (41.5%), tapping digital for three to four of their healthcare needs; the Partially Digital (15.2%) who dip a toe into digital but not to the extent of their digital-dominant cohorts; and the Nondigital (7.9%).
Read more: 2,300 Patients Tell PYMNTS Why They’d Switch Drs. for a Better Portal
It’s the behavior of the nearly 36% of digital-first patients that gives the best glimpse at the future of healthcare.
With 21% of digital-first patients saying they encounter difficulties getting cost estimates before appointments, 62% of digital-first patients report using new providers for their most recent visit, compared to 48% of nondigital patients. Digital access is now a deciding factor.
Access to online portals has an attraction that crosses the digital divide in a big way. Younger patients and those with higher incomes also use patient portals more often than others.
The study found that nearly 80% of Generation Z patients “are likely to switch healthcare providers” to gain better portal access, and surprisingly, 77% of nondigital patients “also exhibit very strong interest in switching to a healthcare provider that makes such a digital solution available.”
27% would have used digital or mobile wallets to pay their healthcare providers if given the option.More patients also want online portals to accept a widening array of payment methods
Per the findings, 27% “would have used digital or mobile wallets to pay their healthcare providers if these options were available, 16% cited PayPal, 3% cited Apple Pay, 4% cited Google Pay and 4% cited Venmo. Only 8% have used digital or mobile wallets to pay their providers, however, and 4% have used PayPal, 2% have used Apple Pay, 1% have used Google Pay, and 1% have used Venmo.”
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