PATIENT POLL: Top 5 Reasons Healthcare Consumers Love Telemedicine
With more and more physicians implementing telemedicine, we set out to learn how patients feel about this new way of receiving care. We polled patients who recently participated in a virtual healthcare visit to learn what they saw as the greatest benefit of telemedicine.
So what is seen as the #1 reason for using virtual healthcare services? Patients have spoken and these are the most-appreciated benefits.
Coming in at #5: LESS STRESS
We all know how stressful a mid-day doctor’s appointment can be, especially when you need to race back to work in time for a 3 p.m. meeting. Respondents were pleased with the stress-free option of taking appointments, without the hassle of traffic and tight schedules.
Following at #4: FINANCIAL BENEFITS
It’s been shown that the average American has trouble covering medical expenses. The increasing cost of care is enough to cause financial stress for patients, so saving money with waived co-pays and doing away with parking fees and childcare expenses was an added benefit.
Next at #3: TIME SAVINGS
Who hasn’t spent endless minutes watching the clock tick away in a waiting room? In fact, I’m sure that the minutes spent in the waiting room have exceeded the time it took to conduct the actual medical appointment on more than one occasion. Foregoing commutes and long bouts in the waiting room were a leading answer from patients.
The runner up at #2: SAFETY
Staying healthy during these times was very important to patients, and contactless appointments mean there is no need for gloves, wipes or masks. Respondents were pleased with the security that contactless appointments brought, so much so that one patient stated:
“We accomplished our visit in only 10 minutes, all from the comfort and safety of our home.”
And the #1 benefit of telemedicine, according to patients: CONVENIENCE
The ease of taking appointments from the comfort of your own home was the most popular response amongst respondents.
The positives of virtual medicine are obvious and much appreciates by patients. Now that more and more people – patients and practitioners alike – are comfortable accessing telemedicine services, the way patients access care may be forever changed. As one dermatology patient stated:
”Telemedicine is a game changer. I definitely plan to utilize it in the future.”
Have you used telemedicine? Share your thoughts!