Medici, a virtual healthcare company, has released a new survey report titled, “Un-breaking the healthcare system,” based on a survey of 800 healthcare consumers conducted in late July. Among the report’s key takeaways is that patients don’t blame physicians for their frustrations with the healthcare system but do believe physicians can do more to proactively ease some of their biggest pain points regarding convenience, accessibility and personalization.
Key findings:
- Patients are generally happy with their physicians – 70% are confident in the care their physician provides to them and their loved ones.
- Patients are very unhappy with the current state of healthcare – 84% agree that the American healthcare system is broken, and the majority believe it’s getting worse.
- Patients blame the healthcare system for lack of access, convenience and personalization – Millennials stand out as the generation most frustrated by the lack of convenience. On average, it takes patients nine minutes to make an appointment – six times longer than it takes them to make a restaurant reservation and three and a half times longer than it takes them to buy something online.
As a consequence, many delay or forgo care – One in three consumers said they have gone to the emergency department to avoid the inconvenience and delays of seeing their physician. Many have foregone care altogether because it was too inconvenient to get an appointment.
Patients are not treated equally by the system – There was significant variance in attitudes among certain groups, particularly Hispanics, who reported the longest wait times and are therefore the most likely to delay or forego care.
Providers could do more – While survey respondents agreed that breakdowns in the healthcare system are responsible for their frustrations, a vast majority also believe that physicians should make better use of available technology in order to improve system challenges.
- 82% agreed that, “It should be as easy to get healthcare on my mobile device as it is to order food or a car/rideshare.”
- 77% wish they could text message with their physician.
- 69% would like the ability to do virtual visits with their physician from their mobile device.
“This survey reveals widespread consumer frustration with the nation’s healthcare system, illustrating why we must reimagine the doctor-patient relationship,” said Clinton Philips, founder and CEO of Medici. “Medici’s mission is to take the stress out of medicine, for both providers and their patients. With our mobile virtual care solution, patients can chat with their doctors, therapists, veterinarians, and healthcare professionals from their smartphones. Providers can deliver quality care from anywhere and not be confined to the four walls of their practices. We are fundamentally changing yet at the same time simplifying healthcare delivery.”
