Dive Brief:
- TransUnion Healthcare has revealed the results of a survey conducted in 2014 that shows more than half of recent hospital patients would willingly change healthcare providers if their current one experienced a data breach.
- Of the respondents, 65% overall said they would avoid providers that had undergone a breach.
- Responses varied by age; of patients between ages 18 and 34, 73% reported being likely to change healthcare providers. However, older patients were less likely to switch. Of those over age 55, 64% said they would not be likely to change providers due to a breach.
Dive Insight:
The survey was based on responses from 1,228 US healthcare consumers who had utilized care within the past two years from a doctor's office, clinic or hospital.
Given multiple high profile payer data breaches in 2015 that have impacted millions, it wouldn't be surprising if healthcare consumers have even stronger sentiments on the subject this year.
The survey data also indicate that nearly 46% of consumers expect to be notified within a day of the breach. (Not always what happens: As of a week ago, Anthem had yet to notify 50 million customers of a cyberattack that affected 70 million.) 72% expect to receive at least one year of free credit monitoring; and more than half expect dedicated phone lines and websites to answer questions and provide details.
"The hours and days immediately following a data breach are crucial for consumers' perceptions of a healthcare provider," says Gerry McCarthy, president of TransUnion Healthcare. "With the right tools, hospitals and providers can quickly notify consumers of a breach, and change consumer sentiments toward their brand."