Virtual Health Awareness in the Lone Star State Surges 25% as COVID-19 Alters Texans’ Attitudes
COVID-19 has fueled a massive shift to virtual health care in Texas. Until the COVID-19 outbreak, a lack of turnkey technology solutions, low consumer awareness and patient reluctance were impeding growth in the state’s adoption of virtual health practices. In fact, 47% of Texans, prior to the pandemic, had little to no familiarity with virtual care.
Texas patients are now more aware and interested in remote care options, according to a new study by Accenture. Specifically:
- One-fourth (25%) of Texans surveyed said they first learned about virtual health care following the outbreak of COVID-19.
- The number of Texans who said they know a little or a lot about virtual health care increased 25% following the outbreak.
- Approximately nine in 10 Texans (89%) surveyed after the pandemic began believe that virtual care options should be available to everyone.
The widespread stay-at-home orders exposed Texans to virtual health care and left a positive impression on receiving care remotely. For instance:
- An estimated 4.5 million state residents began using virtual health care services since the onset of the pandemic.
- Nearly half (45%) of Texans said they trust a virtual health visit as much as or more than an in-person visit—a 15% uptick from the pre-pandemic period.
- Six out of seven remote-care patients (86%) who have continued to use virtual care options during the pandemic said their experience after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak was better or the same as before, and three-quarters (76%) said their wait time was shorter or the same.
“A lot of Texans got a taste for what it’s like to see their physicians and specialists from the safety and comfort of their home,” said Mark Olney, a managing director in Accenture’s Health practice and the study’s lead author. “Now patients are eager to get more of that access, convenience and time savings.”
The variety of use cases for virtual care has expanded since the outbreak. Over twice as many Texans received care virtually for preventive care, annual checkups, diagnosis or treatment of illness and injuries following the virus outbreak than they did prior to the pandemic.
“This rapid transition gave many health providers a chance to try out new and innovative ways of working and opened their eyes to the efficiency, effectiveness and possibilities of virtual care when combined appropriately with in-person interactions,” said Stephen Love, president and CEO of Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
While convenience has been a major factor for the uptick in virtual care, cited by 46% of patients who received virtual care following the pandemic outbreak, more than one-third (36%) said their provider mandated remote visits due to COVID-19, and 15% said they didn’t feel safe to seek care in person. With heightened awareness of potential disease exposure, twice as many Texans after the pandemic started said the most important driver for using virtual care would be to avoid contact with sick people.
“With the rising consumer demand and new, tech-savvy entrants joining the industry, the excuse that ‘health care is different from other fields’ no longer works,” said Nora Belcher, executive director, Texas e-Health Alliance. “Virtual health gives Texas an opportunity to make health care more accessible and affordable and ultimately achieve better outcomes.”
The study notes that rural Texans, in particular, have much to gain from access to virtual health care.
“Riding the momentum in virtual care, Texas hospitals have an opportunity to play a bigger role in caring for rural communities and other underserved populations,” Accenture’s Olney said.
To do that, the study suggests that hospitals must integrate virtual health care into their existing care workflow and make it an option for patients. Hospitals and physicians—who, according to another Accenture study, are the health care providers most trusted by patients—should play to their strength and build a network of partners, such as non-traditional vendors and community-based organizations, to deliver care and expand their impact through virtual health.
About the Research
To study the state of virtual health in Texas, Accenture—in collaboration with the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council and the Texas e-Health Alliance—interviewed executives at 13 major health systems in Texas, which together manage hundreds of hospitals across the state, and surveyed 1,000 adults in the state in October/November 2019 and again in May 2020.
Details
July 28, 2020
Accenture