Dive Brief:
- An international study polling patients in Germany, Singapore and the United Kingdom has concluded that 75% of respondents would be interested in using some form of digital health service.
- The study, by consulting firm McKinsey, found that uptake of such services is still relatively low because patients feel existing services don't meet their needs or aren't of good quality.
- After contacting thousands of patients in the three countries, McKinsey researchers were surprised to find that most consumers contacted want the same things from digital health services, largely help with routine tasks and navigating healthcare system complexities.
Dive Insight:
While entrepreneurs like to solve bleeding edge problems in emerging areas such as digital health, they may not have to work that hard. McKinsey researchers concluded that many patients are looking for help with "mundane" tasks including finding and scheduling medical appointments, help selecting the right specialist and support for repetitive tasks like prescription refills—not exotic, hugely disruptive entries. As McKinsey notes, addressing these needs doesn't require a massive IT investment, good news for those seeking to enter this space.
Another piece of good news offered by McKinsey is data suggesting that digital health services are of interest to consumers of all ages, not just the young. Actually, more than 70% percent of older patients in the UK and Germany want to use digital healthcare services, and an even higher of older Singapore residents are interested. There are differences in usage, with older patients interested in websites and e-mail and younger patients more involved with newer media channels, but otherwise nearly universal interest in digital health.