41% of Consumers Have Never Heard of Telemedicine, HealthMine Survey Finds
Age Makes a Difference: Of Millennials (25-34), 58% of Have Heard of Telemedicine and 52% Said They Understand When It's Best to Use Telemedicine
Jul 21, 2015, 08:30 ET
DALLAS, July 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A HealthMine survey of 1,200 consumers found that 41% have never heard of telemedicine -- as telemedicine attracts growing attention from providers and regulators for its potential to increase access to more convenient, lower-cost healthcare. This and other research revealing that a majority of patients are still skeptical of telemedicine's diagnostic accuracy highlights a significant gap in understanding of this new healthcare technology.
However, age makes a difference when it comes to knowledge and acceptance of telemedicine. While 58% of 25- to 34-year-olds said they would use telemedicine, only 37% of consumers age 55-64 said they would do so. What's more, 52% of 25- to 34-year-olds believe they understand when it is best to use telemedicine, as compared to 34% of 45 to 54-year-olds.
Bryce Williams, CEO and President of HealthMine said, "Telemedicine has the potential to deliver convenient and affordable basic healthcare to people of all ages. He continued, "Wellness programs can be the place where consumers are educated on the best way to access healthcare services, whether it be through a doctor's office, emergency room, urgent care center, or telemedicine visit. Plus, telehealth is evolving to more than telephone visits. Soon, your smartphone will be a stethoscope and more."
Detailed
Q: Would you use telemedicine if offered by your health insurance company as an alternative/in addition to traditional doctor visits?
| Age |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45-54 |
55-64 |
All |
| Yes |
58% |
44% |
41% |
37% |
45% |
| No |
15% |
16% |
16% |
17% |
16% |
| Unsure |
27% |
40% |
43% |
46% |
39% |
Q: Do you think you understand when it is best to use telemedicine as an alternative/in addition to traditional doctor visits?
| Age |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45-54 |
55-64 |
All |
| Yes |
52% |
46% |
34% |
38% |
43% |
| No |
18% |
12% |
20% |
16% |
16% |
| Never heard of telemedicine |
30% |
42% |
46% |
46% |
41% |
About the Survey
The HealthMine Health Plan Member Survey of 1,200 consumers was fielded by Survey Sampling International (SSI) on May 15-27, 2015. Data were collected via an opt-in panel. The margin of error is 4%. Survey Sampling International (SSI) has been the Worldwide Leader in Survey Sampling and Data Collection Solutions, across every mode, for 37 Years.
About HealthMine
HealthMine, a leading consumer health engagement company, has developed the wellness industry's first and only Personal Clinical Engagement technology platform. HealthMine empowers individuals to make meaning of their health information by automatically collecting clinical data, identifying risk for chronic disease, and setting health goals. Making it easy for consumers to manage their own health, HealthMine provides a personalized health portal available on any device, and delivers tailored recommendations, resources and incentives. HealthMine has more than one million users, and has saved employers and payers more than $100 million in healthcare costs. The company, founded in 2008, is based in Dallas, Texas with offices in San Francisco, New York and Minneapolis. For more information, visit www.healthmine.com.
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SOURCE HealthMine