Patients with high out-of-pocket costs more prone to use engagement methods: 6 things to know

Practice Management

A study found patients who pay higher out-of-pocket costs are substantially more likely to choose email and other online patient engagement methods over an office visit to contact physicians about health concerns, according to Health IT Analytics.

American Journal of Managed Care published the study.

 

Here are six things to know:

 

1. In the study, 46 percent of patients who sent their physicians an email said the engagement tools were their first choice for contacting providers when they had one or more medical concerns.

 

2. More than 33 percent of patients who communicated with their providers via email said the activity limited their phone contacts or in-person office visits.

 

3. Patients who paid more than $60 for a normal office visit were more than 20 percent more likely to choose email as their first method to contact a physician, as opposed to patients with lower up-front responsibilities.

 

4. Nearly 90 percent of patients who preferred email said they would rather use the phone if they could not message their providers, indicating patients have a high willingness to keep an in-person visit as the last resort for resolving their concerns.

 

5. Of the respondents, 36 percent said they visited the office less frequently when they could use email or phone calls instead.

 

6. Thirty-two percent of respondents said remote care features helped them enhance their overall health.

 

 

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