Ordering repeat prescriptions, speaking to GPs online, and attending video appointments are the most popular ways patients are using tech
More than half of UK patients are currently using technology to access doctor’s appointments and medication, according to new research into patient behaviours and the healthcare ecosystem.
Altogether, 62% of Britons have used technology to access healthcare, with those aged 18 to 24 and 35 to 44 driving adoption of these technologies.
According to a study of 1,014 British adults carried out by on-demand video GP consultation service, PushDoctor, ordering repeat prescriptions (29%) is currently the most popular way Britons are using technology to access healthcare services.
More than one in five (22%) have communicated with a GP online for something such as live chat, while one in seven (17%) have already used video consultation services to speak to a GP.
Convenience is leading this step change, with almost one in three (30%) claiming they would consult a GP via video if it meant they could have an appointment when and where they wanted. Meanwhile, 27% would do so if it meant they could have an immediate or same day appointment, and one in four (26%) if they could not travel to their GP surgery.
Eren Ozagir, CEO and founder at PushDoctor, said: “This report shows just how much technology is altering patient behaviours, and how widely this is now being accepted by those seeking to access primary care in a way more syncopated with people’s lives.
“This research also shows that the vast majority of all patients appreciate the need for innovations which make it quicker and more convenient to get expert medical advice. Ultimately, this comes down providing greater patient choice – enabling them to have more control over how and when they access their healthcare – which is something I’m sure most health professionals strive to offer their patients.”
Dr Adam Simon, chief medical officer at PushDoctor, said: “Clearly there is significant demand amongst patients for new pathways to healthcare which work better for them, and are more in keeping with the ways they manage other areas of their lives. Such technologies are being gradually introduced into the healthcare industry the UK, but looking at this data, there is a need to speed up this process.
“In introducing this greater level of convenience and choice, UK health providers will be better equipped to reach and help a greater number of patients, whilst bringing access to healthcare more in line with the ways other industries and services have modernised over the past five to 10 years,” added Simon.
