At least 75 percent of Medicare recipients access the Internet at least once a day, and these increasingly tech-savvy seniors want more online and remote options for their healthcare needs, according to an Accenture survey.
The results showed high demand for healthcare technology among those 65 and older:
- 42 percent want virtual physician consults, and 42 percent say an e-visit without a copay is most important to them.
- 62 percent want online tools such as appointment scheduling.
- 46 percent say mobile access to electronic health records is very important.
- 15 percent place high value in the ability to schedule appointments through a mobile app.
However, not many providers currently offer many of these features. “Just as seniors are turning to the Internet for banking, shopping, entertainment and communications, they also expect to handle certain aspects of their healthcare services online,” said Jill Dailey, managing director of payer strategy at Accenture Health, in a news release. “What this means for providers and health plans is that they’ll need to expand their digital options if they want to attract older patients and help them track and manage their care outside their doctor’s office.”
These results were extracted from a larger survey of 1,000 American adults conducted between July 25 and July 31, 2013.
More Articles on Seniors and Technology:
How Aging Baby Boomers and Advancing Technology Represent Healthcare's Biggest Opportunity
How to Further Integrate Patient-Facing Apps in Healthcare (and the Top-Rated Apps)
New Bill Would Allow Physicians to Provide Telehealth Services in Multiple States Without Additional Licensure