Healthcare consumers show mounting interest in virtual, on-demand care

The majority of consumers are interested in some kind of virtual medical care, particularly following a hospital stay, according to a new survey.

Sixty percent of broadband households say they are interested in remote care options, an indication that strong potential exists within the virtual care market moving forward, according to portions of a survey released by Parks Associates. The firm plans to present the full findings at the Connected Health Summit in San Diego at the end of August.

Most respondents were interested in remote care following a hospitalization, although there was also notable interest in managing chronic conditions and routine checkups. Seven in 10 broadband households said they were also interested in visiting physician services.

Additional data provided to FierceHealthcare indicates 40% of respondents are interested in communicating digitally with their medical professional, but just 20% want to correspond via text message.

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Digital health experts have said technology will change the way patients receive care by shifting care to the home through telemedicine and mobile apps. Organizations like the University of Southern California Medical Center and CHI Franciscan Health in Washington have launched virtual hospitals to triage patients and connect with those suffering from depression.

The Park Associates survey aligns with a recent study showing more than half of consumers have been “very satisfied” with a telehealth visit in the last year, and 54% prefer virtual modalities over in-office visits.