The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a dramatic shift to virtual health and the need for convenient and affordable care, with 62% of consumers saying they are very or likely to use a virtual visit if they don’t need a doctor’s check.to a new CVS Health’s 2022 Healthcare Insights Study.
A total of 2,600 consumers participated in the survey. This includes 1,000 participants age 18 and older across the United States. In addition, it surveyed 200 consumers in six areas of Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Columbus, Philadelphia and Phoenix. It also attracted 200 black consumers and 200 Hispanic consumers. Finally, it surveyed 400 healthcare providers.
While 92% of consumers said virtual care increased convenience when choosing a primary care provider, those who visited virtual mental care responded differently to convenience/privacy based on age and ethnicity, in addition to CVS Data obtained by MedCity News shows.
racial differences
Across all races, most people find mental health virtual visits more convenient. This represented 73% of Hispanic respondents, 68% of Black respondents, 73% of White respondents and 69% of other racial respondents. Respondents self-identified their ethnicity, and many selected multiple options.
But according to the survey, when it comes to the privacy of virtual mental health visits, 70% of Hispanic respondents found virtual visits to be more private than in-person visits, underscoring the mental health stigma that exists among the Hispanic population. This compares to 63% of black respondents, 57% of white respondents and 61% of other racial respondents.
“Virtual mental health services allow patients to receive care confidentially at home without having to sit in a waiting room or ask family or friends for help,” said Creagh Milford, vice president and clinical lead of Enterprise Virtual Care. CVS Health. “Telehealth allows patients to control where and when they access services.”
The same is true when it comes to confidentiality, the survey found: 67% of Hispanic respondents believe virtual mental health visits are more confidential than in-person visits, compared to 64% of black respondents, 58% of white respondents and 59% of white respondents % of respondents of other races thought. Additionally, 61 percent of Hispanic respondents said virtual visits would make them more likely to seek mental health services, and 66 percent said virtual mental health visits would help avoid stigma, higher than other respondents.
“While we’ve come a long way in normalizing the mental health conversation, stigma still exists, especially among historically underrepresented groups,” Milford said. “Yes, virtual care offers more accessibility, but it’s also a popular option for those concerned about receiving mental health care in person.”
age difference
The use of virtual visits (such as Zoom) to receive care from a doctor or provider varies by age: 55% of 18- to 34-year-olds use virtual visits, compared with 40% of 35- to 50-year-olds, 30% of seniors use virtual doctor visits 51 to 64 years old and 17% of those 65 and older.
There are similar differences in responses by age when it comes to virtual mental health seeking: 64% of 18- to 34-year-olds are very or likely to get virtual mental health care, compared to 53% of 35- to 50-year-olds , 37% of those aged 51 to 64 and 19% of those aged 65 and older.
“Overall, virtual visits can offer many benefits to patients, require less time investment, and provide more convenience and accessibility as well as affordability,” Milford said. “We’re particularly seeing enthusiasm for virtual visits from younger patients, who are very willing to communicate virtually.”
CVS found that younger age groups are also more concerned about physical health (52%), mental health (58%), the mental health of family and loved ones (50%), and safety and neighborhood safety (43%). For those 65 and older, those figures were 31%, 14%, 16% and 13%, respectively.
“Young people have felt and continue to feel increased stress and anxiety since the beginning of the pandemic. Carla McNulty, president of CVS Behavioral Health and Mental Health, said.
How suppliers are changing
Data shows providers are changing their services to accommodate the rise of virtual care: 54% of providers have added virtual office access, 42% have added online portals, 43% have added mobile capabilities, and only 9% said They do not offer virtual care. The questions posed to respondents did not specify a time frame.
The most popular digital tool providers are adopting electronic medical records and patient portals. A whopping 71% of providers say they use electronic medical records, and 67% say they offer a patient portal for consumers.
The shift to delivering virtual care and digital tools is having an impact on patient numbers, 53% of providers said adding virtual services increased patient visits. Of these providers, 93% said virtual visits made patients more likely to make an appointment. The data did not specify whether this led to an increase in virtual or in-person appointments.
“[The data] Revealing that individuals have a more holistic view of what healthcare should look like,” Milford said. “Online tools such as electronic health records and patient portals make it easier to communicate between different providers, which helps patients and their care Teams are aligned on health goals and how to achieve them. “
Photo: CVS Health
