NTT DATA Study Finds Nearly Two-Thirds of Consumers Expect Their Healthcare Digital Experience to Be More Like Retail

LAS VEGAS, March 5, 2018 – According to research findings released today at HIMSS18 by NTT DATA Services, a recognized leader in global technology services, U.S. healthcare consumers want simple and reliable digital interactions for routine transactions, such as filling prescriptions, accessing test results and making doctor appointments. In fact, 59 percent of U.S. consumers expect their healthcare digital customer experience (DCX) to be similar to retail.

Consumer expectations for healthcare providers and insurers are being shaped by other industries, and they want their digital experiences to more closely mirror interactions with major online retailers, such as Amazon, Apple and Southwest Airlines.

“Consumer-focused brands with rich, engaging content, interactions and features have changed the landscape in digital customer experience, and healthcare is lagging behind,” said Alan Hughes of NTT DATA Services. “As patients seek seamless care to bring together services related to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and health promotion, healthcare appears ripe for its own digital transformation.”

NTT DATA’s research sought to answer three key questions:

1. How satisfied are you with the digital customer experience across healthcare companies?
2. In what areas could your doctor’s office or healthcare insurance company provide more seamless care?
3. What is your preferred method of interaction with healthcare organizations?

Key study findings include:

• There is a cohort of more tech-savvy consumers — “Explorers” — who represent the future for the healthcare industry. These Explorers are demanding, impatient and not reluctant to switch doctors when dissatisfied.

o   78% of Explorers say the DCX in healthcare needs to improve

o   50% of Explorers would leave their current doctor for a better DCX

• Consumers continue to want digital experiences that are fast and easy, yet mobile healthcare is perceived as lacking ease of use and features. According to respondents, factors hindering progress include:

o   Not able to accomplish what I wanted to do (62%)

o   Options are not relevant to me (42%)

o   Wasted time – too long to complete (40%)

• 69 percent expect their health insurance company to make it easier to navigate affordable care and wellness options
• Even among the simplest digital healthcare tasks, the majority of healthcare consumers feel improvement is needed in the following areas:

o   Searching for a doctor/specialist (81%)

o   Accessing my family’s health records (80%)

o   Changing/making an appointment (79%)

o   Accessing test results (76%)

o   Paying my bill (75%)

o   Filling a prescription (74%)

“Patient preferences and age demographics will continue to increase the emphasis healthcare organizations place on digital customer experience,” Hughes said. “While digital experience may have a moderate impact on overall healthcare decisions made today, it is changing at an increasing rate. Providers, insurers and pharmacies taking heed of the trend will be best suited to fulfill patient expectations.”

NTT DATA Services is committed to improving value-based care by providing core technology infrastructure, application, business process and security services that create efficiencies across the healthcare ecosystem. The company delivers targeted segment solutions including patient engagement and customer relationship management, population health and analytics, healthcare cloud and infrastructure support, clinical and claims application expertise, as well as healthcare automation innovations, to more than 45 health systems, 50 health plans, 50 life sciences customers and 40,000 clinicians.

Research findings were based on online responses of 1,102 U.S. consumers during September 2017.

About NTT DATA Services

NTT DATA Services partners with clients to navigate and simplify the modern complexities of business and technology, delivering the insights, solutions and outcomes that matter most. We deliver tangible business results by combining deep industry expertise with applied innovations in digital, cloud and automation across a comprehensive portfolio of consulting, application, infrastructure and business process outsourcing services.

Source: NTT DATA Services