A new study from MDLive, a Sunrise, Fla.-based telehealth software provider, has found that 82 percent of young adults age 18 to 34 who have a doctor say having a consultation with their physician via a mobile device is the best option for them.
That age group, which the survey categorizes as “young invincibles,” are more likely than any other age group to have delayed an appointment with their doctor (71 percent, vs. 60 percent of those age 35-44, 54 percent of those age 45-54, 48 percent of those age 55-64, and 30 percent of those age 65 plus). Overall, the survey found that more than half of Americans who have a doctor (54 percent) have postponed a visit because it is too inconvenient. The most common reasons for postponing a visit are inability to take off a day from work (30 percent), and high cost of co-pays and insurance (25 percent).
According to the survey, more than one quarter (27 percent) of Americans who have a doctor revealed that there are things they’d be willing to give up if it meant they would always have access to their doctor on a mobile device. Among the sacrifices some are willing to make include giving up shopping for a month, skipping their next vacation, skipping showers for a week, or forfeiting a salary increase. Some Americans (1 percent) would even give up their significant other if it meant complete access to a doctor on mobile devices. The 18-34 age group (42 percent) even admitted they’d be willing to make some kind of sacrifice if it meant they could speak to a doctor at anytime on their mobile device, while the older generations were less likely to do so.
More than two thirds of Americans who have a doctor said that there are benefits that would make consulting their doctor over a mobile device the best option for them. Among top benefits are if it lowered the cost of the consultation or if there were no waiting rooms or cancelled appointments. Shorter consultation times, the doctor having access to full medical histories, doctors available 24 hours a day, if their doctor was a U.S. Board Certified physician, or having more private consultations were also suggested benefits.
This survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of MDLive from March 6-10, 2014 among 2,061 adults ages 18 and older.
