Smartphones top enabler of patient engagement

While consumers traditionally hold personal health information close to the vest, the trend is showing a shift toward more open exchanges between clinicians and patients, according to the 2015 Pulse of Online Health survey from Makovsky/Kelton. The poll surveyed consumers on general healthcare attitudes.

Smartphones are the primary enablers of patient engagement in health and increased access to helpful content related to their conditions. Sixty-six percent of consumers say they would use a mobile app to manage health-related issues.

Other findings indicate:

• Millennials are more than twice as likely to express interest in using a mobile app to manage their health compared to those Americans age 66 and older;
• Top interests in mobile health apps include tracking diet/nutrition, medication reminders, tracking symptoms and tracking physical activity;
• 88 percent of Americans would be willing to share their personal information for the sake of improving care and treatment options.