Multiple patient surveys taken over the last two years have made it abundantly clear that Americans appreciate and want telemedicine solutions. They want to be able to visit their doctors remotely. An easy explanation says that telemedicine is more convenient. But how about we dig a little deeper?
Software Advice recently conducted a survey among 1,001 adults who had visited a healthcare provider at least once within the last three years. The survey asked participants to share their experiences with traditional office visits, telemedicine visits, and digital healthcare tools.
An analysis of the survey results identified the top four pain points of traditional healthcare delivery, pain points that seem to be driving America’s preference for telemedicine. Here they are:
1. Time Spent in the Waiting Room
The number one pain point was the amount of time spent in the waiting room. No surprises there. We have all had the experience of racing to be on time for a doctor’s appointment, only to be left sitting in the waiting room for what seemed like an eternity. We have spent that time wishing we were doing other things.
Unfortunately, long waiting times are the norm. And the later in the day a visit is scheduled, the longer the wait is likely to be. That is just the nature of the beast. But with telemedicine, long wait times are eliminated. You don’t log on until the doctor is ready to see you. Until then, you go about your day.
2. Time Spent Commuting
Patients also consider the time spent commuting to and from the doctor’s office an annoying pain point. And why not? If your doctor’s office is just 10 miles away, plan on the trip taking 30 minutes in traffic. That means an entire hour spent just on the commute to and from. Combine commuting time with office visit time and you may need two-to-three hours just to score a 15-minute conversation with the doctor.
Once again, telemedicine solves the problem. When you meet online, there is no commuting time – with the possible exception of the time it takes you to walk from the living room to the den. But no worries. You’re not going to run into a traffic jam or a light that is too slow to change.
3. Appointment Scheduling Hassles
The third pain point is the hassle of scheduling appointments. According to San Antonio-based CSI Health, this is where we cross from telemedicine into telehealth. Where telemedicine refers to the actual delivery of healthcare services, telehealth is the broader practice of administrating healthcare through digital technologies.
Having a patient portal through which patients can schedule their appointments is an immense help. It’s more convenient to pop online to make an appointment than sitting on hold while waiting for the receptionist to pick up the phone.
You can schedule appointments after hours, too. If you want to make an appointment to see your primary care physician while sitting on the couch in your pajamas at 2 o’clock in the morning, go for it!
4. Time Actually Spent with the Doctor
The final pain point mentioned by survey respondents is the amount of time they actually get to spend with the doctor. It’s not much. On average, 10 to 15 minutes is about right. After all you put into an in-person visit, 10 to 15 minutes seems like a huge letdown. On the other hand, telemedicine visits can be longer because doctors are working more efficiently.
The top four pain points of traditional healthcare delivery are largely responsible for driving people toward telemedicine. And once a patient tries it, there is a good chance they will prefer telemedicine over traditional healthcare.
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