From EHRs and patient portals to telemedicine and wearables, healthcare is going digital. But a new study has found that many patients still either do not know about these technologies or lack access to them.
A Nielson survey conducted by the Council of Accountable Physician Practices and the Bipartisan Policy Center examined digital health adoption in 5,000 Americans ages 18 and over. Here are six things to know from the survey.
1. Less than half of respondents (45 percent) reported receiving traditional telephone reminders for physician appointments.
2. Nearly a quarter (21 percent) of the survey's respondents reported having access to online physician appointment scheduling.
3. Just 15 percent of respondents use email to communicate with providers.
4. Fourteen percent of respondents indicated they have 24/7 access to medical advice.
5. Only 9 percent of respondents receive provider reminders via text.
6. Three percent of respondents are able to send photos of a medical condition over email, while just 2 percent report having access to video visits.