Consumerization was a major healthcare trend before COVID-19, but the pandemic has clearly accelerated it. Given the continued higher use of telehealth services post-pandemic as well as recent news that consumer retail giants Amazon, Walmart and even Dollar General are expanding their healthcare offerings, consumers are driving change. Retailers and other industries like banking and travel with strong consumer strategies understand how to appeal to consumers through convenience and simplicity, two qualities that healthcare (although improving) is lagging.

We can officially declare that we are in the 21st century with 97 percent of Americans now owning a cellphone of some kind. About 75 percent of adults in the United States have a desktop or laptop computer, while roughly half own a tablet computer. 

Despite a massive influx of patients with COVID-19 in 2020, the healthcare industry experienced an overall decrease in patient volume and demand for elective services. One year-end report estimated that hospital discharges decreased 10 percent overall in 2020, while outpatient revenue decreased by six percent. A separate earlier study estimated that primary care practices would lose $67,774 in gross revenue per full-time-equivalent physician due to the drop in preventive and acute care. State restrictions on elective services early in the pandemic drove some of the volume decrease, but a significant portion of patients also skipped needed care due to fear of catching COVID-19.

Remote Patient Monitoring Combines with Patient Engagement Platform,
Diminishes Barriers to Adoption 

Recent research has shown that women have been more receptive than men to receiving their healthcare through telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. One study published in June 2020 found women ages 18 to 44 were more likely than men to choose a video or telephone visit versus in-person. Similarly, the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found that 38 percent of women and 32 percent of men completed a telehealth appointment between March and December 2020.

Delivering patient-centered, contactless care and streamlining registration and clinical workflows.

HOBOKEN, NJ. – May 21, 2021 – Epion Health, a leader in digital patient engagement solutions and supporting contactless care, today announced their agreement to provide digital patient engagement tools to MSU Health Care and their patients.