Half of UK patients over 55 now prefer digital tools instead of in-person medical consultations, research suggests.
The report, carried out by Censuswide on behalf of Mobiquity, also found more than half (51%) of UK patients over 55 find that using digital tools leads to quicker access to their GP. For GPs, the ability to prescribe appropriate treatment more easily was cited as the main benefit of digital tools.
Over three in five patients felt comfortable using wearable tech (72%), telemedicine (69%), applications (69%), video-consultations (68%) and remote monitoring (67%).
The most preferred digital tools used by over 55s surveyed included remote monitoring (50%) and video examinations (50%).
For patients, there is a similar willingness to use digital health tools in the future, with over half (51%) of UK patients considering using remote consultations in the future after their experience during COVID-19.
However, barriers to adoption were also referenced by patients and doctors surveyed. In the UK, 64% of patients would still prefer in-person consultations in the future, citing concerns over privacy and monitoring when using digital tools.
Technical issues were the most significant barrier to adoption for GPs, with over half of UK GPs reporting technical issues when using telemedicine.
Commenting on the report’s findings, Professor John Powell of the University of Oxford said: “The restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have provided the impetus and opportunity for the rapid uptake of digital health solutions, especially video consultations and remote monitoring. Capturing the views of practitioners and patients on this transformation is vital in understanding the issues that influence successful adoption, scale-up and sustainability.
“It is notable that this report demonstrates that many patients reported positive experiences of using digital services at this time, particularly in terms of accessibility and convenience, and that the great majority of GPs who took part in the survey were enthusiastic and recognised the importance of the further digital transformation of their services.”
The report ‘COVID-19: Ensuring a quality patient experience with the rise of digitisation in a healthcare setting’ surveyed 301 GPs and 3,009 patients in the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.