May 14, 2014
Young Invincibles Favor Mobile Healthcare – 2% of Americans ages 18-34 who have a doctor say consultations over a mobile device are the best option for them, and 54% of Americans who have a doctor admit they have postponed a visit because it is too inconvenient
SUNRISE, Fla. – May 14, 2014 – MDLIVE, the nation’s leading provider of telehealth services and software, today announced the findings from its 2014 Mobile Health Index. The nationwide survey was conducted online in March within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of MDLIVE among over 2,000 adults ages 18 and over. The survey, which was aimed at discovering how Americans feel about having mobile access to doctors in the United States, found that more than half of Americans who have a doctor (54%) have postponed a visit because it is too inconvenient.
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Top reasons for postponing a visit include:
The “Young Invincibles” (those ages 18-34) who have a doctor are more likely than any other age group to have delayed an appointment with their doctor (71%, vs. 60% of those age 35-44, 54% of those age 45-54, 48% of those age 55-64, and 30% of those age 65 plus).
According to the survey, more than one quarter (27%) of Americans who have a doctor revealed that there are things they’d be willing to give up if it meant they would always have access to their doctor on a mobile device. Among the sacrifices some are willing to make include giving up shopping for a month (13%), skipping their next vacation (9%), skipping showers for a week (5%), or forfeiting a salary increase (3%). Some Americans (1%) would even give up their significant other if it meant complete access to a doctor on mobile devices. The 18-34 age group (42%) even admitted they’d be willing to make some kind of sacrifice if it meant they could speak to a doctor at anytime on their mobile device, while the older generations (32% of those 35-44, 20% of those age 45-45, 19% of those age 55-64 and 16% of those age 65 plus) are less likely to say the same.
“The study demonstrates that telehealth is not just seeing a demand for access to quality patient care anywhere, anytime but that the industry is at an inflection point where adoption among the younger generations will drive demand among both consumers and young professionals entering the workforce,” said Randy Parker, Founder and CEO of MDLIVE. “MDLIVE is leading this movement by announcing along with the results of our study the release of the world’s most feature rich, user-centric mobile app, marking the first truly integrated virtual health system. MDLIVE is fully focused on providing the best quality, and most accessible, healthcare at an affordable rate for all users worldwide where and when they want it.”
The survey also discovered where Americans would be most likely to have a consultation with a doctor via a mobile device, with the number one choice (35%) being while on vacation. Other top choices include:
More than two thirds (69%) of Americans who have a doctor have recommendations of how their doctor can make their lives easier. Among top preferences are providing more affordable options or payment plans (28%), working with insurance companies for better payment processing (26%), and being available 24 hours a day (26%). Providing quality patient care online (24%), making referrals to a specialist easier (24%), and providing quality patient care on a mobile device (19%) were also suggested improvements.
More than two thirds of Americans who have a doctor (67%) said that there are benefits that would make consulting their doctor over a mobile device the best option for them. Among top benefits are if it lowered the cost of the consultation (36%) or if there were no waiting rooms or cancelled appointments (36%). Shorter consultation times (34%), the doctor having access to full medical histories (32%), doctors available 24 hours a day (29%), if their doctor was a U.S. Board Certified physician (24%), or having more private consultations (14%) were also suggested benefits.
The new MDLIVE mobile app for iPhone provides consumers and healthcare providers with immediate, secure 24x7x365 access to telehealth services from the privacy of the home, at work or even on the go, including weekends and Holidays. The app is compatible on iPhone and available now for free download at mdlive.com/GETAPP.
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of MDLIVE from March 6-10, 2014 among 2,061 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Alessandra Nagy at 310-935-2592.
ABOUT MDLIVE:
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Founded in 2009, MDLIVE is a leading provider of telehealth services and software, providing telehealth, online and on-demand healthcare that benefits consumers, employers, payers, hospitals, physician practice groups and accountable care organizations. Headquartered in Sunrise, Florida, MDLIVE works with Board Certified physicians and therapists, nationwide to provide around-the-clock connected care.
The company’s cloud-based Virtual Medical Office software platform makes it possible for patients, healthcare professionals and plan administrators to collaborate seamlessly and securely via voice, video, email and mobile devices. Payers and providers can also utilize the HIPAA and PHI-compliant system to collect and share clinical data from patient medical records, lab results and in-home biometric devices for real-time risk assessments, wellness advice, diagnosis and treatment.
MDLIVE physicians can diagnose, treat and, if needed, write prescriptions (non-controlled substances only) for routine medical conditions 24/7/365 Anytime, Anywhere. Learn more at mdlive.com and connect with us on facebook.com/mdlivetelehealth to join the telehealth conversation.
To see a brief video about MDLIVE’s connected care delivery services please watch www.mdlive.com/media/storkmdlive.html
