How patients’ health care experience is evolving, according to payers

Better member engagement, easier access to health information and higher patient satisfaction — this is what health insurance executives are witnessing, and the results can be traced back to a key catalyst: digital health technologies.

The findings from our recent EY Health Pulse Survey of these executives reveal a big shift underway. Members’ health care experience is becoming more personalized through the integration of digital tools. And although the path toward adoption of digital health technologies may be challenging, the use of these tools is leading to other enhancements that are benefiting both patients and organizations.

Seventy-one percent of the survey respondents either agree or strongly agree that members’ health care experiences have become more personalized in recent years. Several technologies were acknowledged as having helped drive this personalization: wearable medical or consumer health tracking devices, mobile apps, and member portals and telehealth.

As technology drives higher member engagement — with 73% of the respondents attributing this to wearables — payers are benefiting through unprecedented insights. Eighty-six percent of the executives say they’re now able to measure the resulting impacts of this higher engagement on patient care.

“Together, these advancements are shaping a more efficient, accessible and sustainable health care system for all,” notes my colleague Kaushik[HO1]  Bhaumik, EY US Health Technology Leader.

More and more, digital health technology is serving as the connective tissue between traditional medicine and the health care of tomorrow, where patients have a more active — and proactive — role when it comes to their health.

We’re already catching glimpses of this evolved approach to health today.

Members appear more empowered or more invested in their care because health information is easier to access, 63% of the health insurance executives say, citing member feedback. At the same time, 54% of the respondents report that as a result of this access, members either seem to have greater satisfaction with their care or have expressed less frustration.

In fact, the heightened accessibility of health information online drives one of the top benefits cited from the use of digital health tools: Patients now have less of a wait when they request their medical records, 45% of the respondents report.

What also stood out to me from the study is that:

·       The transformative impact that digital health technologies have had on health care so far is prompting payers to invest in their own tools so they can enhance their members’ experience. An overwhelming majority (91%) of the executives surveyed say their organization either currently has capabilities in integrating data across digital health tools or is planning investments in growing such capabilities to personalize or boost member engagement.

·       Wearables and remote monitoring are showing promise for the treatment, detection and prevention of certain health issues. Eighty-nine percent of the respondents say remote monitoring devices are effective in the management of chronic illness, while 73% say wearables are helping with the early detection and prevention of members’ potential health problems.

·       Cybersecurity is a near-universal concern, and many organizations are boosting their investments in it despite rising costs. Almost all (91%) of the respondents express concern over these costs, while over half (55%) report that their organization is investing more or much more in cybersecurity solutions, compared with last year. Payers’ main objectives underlying these investments are to meet compliance requirements, protect member privacy and prevent data breaches.

·       Payers are recognizing the link between cybersecurity and member trust. Seventy percent of the health insurance executives say robust cybersecurity efforts have boosted the trust that members have in using digital health services.

You can find additional takeaways from the EY Health Pulse Survey of health insurance executives here.

We are seeing a revolution in health insurance, one where digital health technologies are not just augmenting but transforming the member experience. It will be interesting to discover the other ways that companies in the health space can benefit as this transformation progresses.

If you have questions or would like to discuss the survey results, please feel free to reach out.

The views reflected in this article are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ernst & Young LLP or other members of the global EY organization.