Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The issues
- Seniors utilize the most healthcare services, yet report less than ideal health status
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- Figure 1: Healthcare provider visitation (any – Net), by age, September 2016
- Adults are most concerned with the costs associated with healthcare
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- Figure 2: Cost-related healthcare concerns, September 2016
- Costs are concerning, yet receive little discussion with a provider
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- Figure 3: Provider questions related to cost, September 2016
- The opportunities
- Turn hospitals into a place of wellness
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- Figure 4: Hospital visitation within the past year, September 2016
- Give consumers access to their health data
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- Figure 5: In control of health with access to information and access causes overwhelmed feelings, September 2016
- Offer guidance; the young and the old are seeking it
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- Figure 6: Provider asked for steps needed to improve health, by age, September 2016
- What it means
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Health insurance coverage correlates with recent healthcare visitation
- Alternative medicine and technology can align with traditional healthcare
- The US population is aging, incomes are declining, and people are moving to cities
Snapshot of US Healthcare
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- Most people in the US have health insurance, largely employer-based
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- Figure 7: Health insurance coverage, by type of health insurance, 2015
- Access to care a challenge for some while healthcare expenditures rise
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- Figure 8: Delay or nonreceipt of needed medical care in the US during the past 12 months due to cost, by age and percent of poverty level, 2010-14
- Figure 9: Per capita personal healthcare expenditures, 2004-14
- A recent healthcare provider visit is common; yet hospital stays decline
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- Figure 10: Healthcare visitation in past 12 months, by age, 2014
- Figure 11: One or more hospital stays in the past year, 1997-2014
- Seniors and lower-income families self-report the lowest health status
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- Figure 12: Fair/poor self-assessed health status, by age and percentage of poverty level, 2005-14
Market Perspective
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- Alternative medicine has a place in traditional healthcare
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- Figure 13: I prefer alternative medicine to standard medical practices (any agree), July 2015-August 2016
- The power of technology and making a self-diagnosis
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- Figure 14: I gather health information from websites (any agree), July 2015-August 2016
Market Factors
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- The US population is aging, creating a greater demand for healthcare
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- Figure 15: Population by age, 2011-21
- The average household income declines again
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- Figure 16: Median household income, in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2004-14
- Increasing urbanization impacts access and satisfaction with US healthcare system
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- Figure 17: Overall satisfaction with US healthcare system, by area, September 2016
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Retail health clinic partnerships, drug deliveries, and telehealth are moving forward
- Unaffordable prescription drugs, the fate of the ACA
- A human approach to healthcare and the future of pharmacy
What’s Working?
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- New retail health clinic partnerships expand access to care
- Pharmaceuticals managed online and delivered in-home
- Recent developments in pharmaceutical delivery services:
- Telehealth is gaining momentum; use remains moderate
What’s Struggling?
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- Unaffordable prescription drugs
- The uncertain fate of ACA
What’s Next?
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- Bringing back the human approach to healthcare
- The evolution of pharmacies
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Most have visited a healthcare provider recently, predominantly a general practitioner
- When seeking a new provider, accepting insurance is essential
- Satisfaction with the US healthcare system is polarized
- Most concerning to consumers are the costs associated with healthcare
- Topics discussed with provider are somewhat limited
- Technology and health go hand-in-hand
Healthcare Provider Visitation
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- Most adults have visited a healthcare provider in the past year
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- Figure 18: Healthcare provider visitation, any location (net), September 2016
- Seniors and parents saw a healthcare provider more recently
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- Figure 19: Healthcare provider visitation, any location (net), by age, parental status, and health insurance type, September 2016
- General practitioners are seen most often
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- Figure 20: Healthcare provider visitation, September 2016
- Seniors’ healthcare visits differ from those of younger adults
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- Figure 21: General practice and specialist office visitation within the past year, by age, September 2016
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- Figure 22: Hospital, urgent care clinic, and retail health clinic visitation within the past year, by age, September 2016
Sourcing Healthcare
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- Insurance is the main consideration when choosing a provider
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- Figure 23: Sourcing healthcare, September 2016
- A convenient location is important to seniors and suburban residents
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- Figure 24: Convenient location impact on healthcare provider choice, by age and area, September 2016
- Cash-strapped consumers are paying attention to costs
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- Figure 25: Impact of cost of services on healthcare provider choice, by age, household income, and insurance type, September 2016
- Some adults take into consideration the online presence of a provider
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- Figure 26: Online presence impact on healthcare provider choice, by age and area, September 2016
Healthcare Satisfaction
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- Overall satisfaction with the US healthcare system is moderate
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- Figure 27: Healthcare satisfaction, September 2016
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- Figure 28: Overall satisfaction with the US healthcare system, by insurance type, September 2016
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- Figure 29: Key drivers of satisfaction with the US healthcare system, September 2016
- Income and area impact satisfaction with care and treatment
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- Figure 30: Any satisfied (net) with care and treatment, by income and area, September 2016
- Healthcare costs are a source of dissatisfaction
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- Figure 31: Satisfaction with healthcare costs, by age and insurance type, September 2016
Healthcare Concerns
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- Of most concern are the costs associated with healthcare
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- Figure 32: Healthcare concerns, September 2016
- A lack of access is more concerning to Hispanic adults
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- Figure 33: Concern with lack of access to appropriate care, any rank (net), by race and Hispanic origin, September 2016
- 18-34s express more concern with a lack of comprehensive care
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- Figure 34: Concern with lack of comprehensive care, any rank (net), by age, September 2016
Provider Questions
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- About half of adults discuss test results with their provider; other topics even more limited
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- Figure 35: Provider questions, September 2016
- Older adults more likely to ask for test results to be explained
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- Figure 36: Asked provider for explanation of test results, by age, September 2016
- About half of men 55+ have asked which tests are needed based on age
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- Figure 37: Asked provider for health tests needed based on age, by gender and age, September 2016
- The youngest and oldest patients are asking for guidance
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- Figure 38: Provider asked for steps needed to improve health, by age, September 2016
Technology and Health
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- Consumers feel more in control of their health with access to their health data
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- Figure 39: Feel more in control of health with access to information and more access causes overwhelmed feelings, by age, September 2016
- Healthcare providers should make it easy to locate their information online
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- Figure 40: Finding provider information online, online reviews, scheduling, and communicating with provider via an app, by age, September 2016
- More consumers than not appreciate technology use during appointments
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- Figure 41: Attitudes toward the use of technology during appointments, September 2016
- Dads are a key target for virtual health consultation
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- Figure 42: Interest in virtual health consultation, by parental status (presence of children under 18) by gender, September 2016
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Market
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- Figure 43: Any agree – I have regular medical checkups and it’s important to go to the doctor, July 2015-August 2016
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Appendix – Consumer
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- Figure 44: Any agree – I rarely get sick, July 2015-August 2016
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- Figure 45: Professionals consulted last 12 months, by age, July 2015-August 2016
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- Figure 46: Visited a medical services and information website in the last 30 days, by gender and age, July 2015-August 2016
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