With the expansion of the internet, the healthcare industry continues to invest in the development of online information, mobile apps, and personal health devices. The purpose of these tools is to
increase consumer engagement, help individuals take actions that can improve their health, make informed decisions, and engage effectively with the health care system. As the current president of the Americare Companies, Elly Kleinman has been following the rising trend of health apps.
Consumers trust the information sources more, and in addition, they are rising. Recent studies show that 52% have reported searching online for health or care-related information, have used social media or patient portals. One-quarter of consumers’ report they have looked at a scorecard to compare the performance of doctors, hospitals, or health plans compared to 19 % only two years ago.
According to Kleinman, in the period from 2013 to 2015, consumers’ use of technology to measure fitness and health improvement goals has increased from 17 % to 28 %. The use of health apps is highest among the younger population, at 45 % of that group. The use of tech-based monitoring among consumers with major chronic conditions has jumped from 22 % to 39 % in the last two years solely. More than 60 % of tech-savvy users state that using health technologies has had a major impact on their lives. Some groups are becoming engaged consumers way faster than others. For example, younger consumers are on a fast upward trajectory, showing greater gains than the other generations.
Although large numbers of Americans use fitness and other health-related apps, most apps are left unused once they’re being downloaded. Data from a related survey shows that 58 % of adult smartphone users have downloaded at least one of the estimated 40,000 available health-related mobile applications. Around 42 % downloaded five or more of these apps.
Nearly 65 % of the respondents reported that the apps have helped them improve their health. In Elly Kleinman’s opinion, a large number of consumers have demonstrated strong faith in these health apps in terms of their accuracy and effectiveness. Approximately 65 % of the respondents reported using their apps daily.
