Physicians remain the primary influence on consumer medical decisions. As digital health tech wearables continue to progress from athletic fitness aids to personal biometric trackers and, most recently, to clinical-grade patient monitoring devices, doctors’ influence on patient acceptance and use of digital technology will figure significantly in device and platform success.
A recent study from the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) showed that most physicians are bullish on the potential of managing patient health with remote monitoring technology. Sixty-eight percent of the doctors polled by the CTA indicated that they intend to use remote monitoring in the future.
The Connected Health and Remote Patient Monitoring: Consumer and Industry Use study surveyed 2,004 U.S. adults, 100 primary care physicians, 60 endocrinologists, and 40 nurses. The CTA also surveyed health insurance companies and medical care policymakers.
Surveyed health care professionals rated improved patient outcomes (49%), faster health care services access (42%), and patients’ ownership of their health (42%) as the greatest benefits from remote monitoring.
Patients’ survey results indicated they most valued detailed information on their health (43%), faster access to services (43%), and the increased sense of influence on their own care and well-being through owning health data (37%) from health monitoring technology. The patients were most concerned about data security.
The bottom line on physician influence was consumer indications that they would use monitoring devices if their doctor recommended it (52%). Another 31% reported they would act on recommendations from pharmacists or health insurance companies.
Ending on a forward-looking note, 39% of the physicians in the CTA survey report see a future in which technology monitors every aspect of patient health.
