What You Need to Know:
– Hospitals are failing to meet new moms’ expectations for digital health services from their healthcare providers, according to a new Xealth survey.
– Conducted among nearly 1,000 U.S. women who are new or expectant mothers, a majority (53%) who are familiar with digital health see online information as a key factor in choosing a hospital.
Xealth, a Seattle, WA-based provider enabling digital health at scale, announced recent survey findings that examine the digital health expectations of new or expectant mothers compared to the services received from healthcare providers. The last few years have seen a movement towards offering patients a more consumer-friendly experience, with significant investments made in digital health. This new experience can assist with patient engagement, treatment compliance, and patient retention.
New Moms’ Demand Digital Health Services from Hospitals
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Sid Lee on behalf of Xealth from February 04-11, 2020 among 932 adults ages 18 and older who are new or expecting moms. The survey findings reveal a majority of new moms’ (53%) who are familiar with digital health see online information as a key factor in choosing a hospital. In fact, nearly half of respondents (47%) expect some form of digital interaction with their doctor; and nearly 30% of respondents answered “I don’t know” when asked what the definition of digital health.
Other key findings of the survey include:
Digital tools rated most important to patients:
– online access to medical records (61%)
– online payment tools (57%)
– online scheduling (52%)
– electronic refill of prescriptions (51%);
Digital tools most offered by hospitals:
– online payment tools (45%)
– online access to medical records (39%)
– online education and information (31%)
– online scheduling (29%)
The widest gaps exist related to:
– electronic refill of prescriptions (51% find this important vs. 23% actually can)
– online scheduling (52% vs. 29%)
– price transparency (30% vs. 8%)
Comments about what hospitals can do to improve the digital health experience involved:
– providing greater convenience
– creating patient communities
– improving education
– increasing transparency.
Why It Matters
“Digital connections have permeated almost every industry except the most important one – healthcare,” said Xealth CEO Mike McSherry. “Until hospitals and patients get on the same page for basic transactional services, the true potential of digital health outcomes is going to be held back. The results of this survey show that most of the digital experiences that patients want from their healthcare providers will enhance their relationships with doctors. There is a significant opportunity for hospitals to fill this need for patients, while helping define what successful digital health means.”
