CVS 2020 Path to Better Health Study: Amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic, Consumers Say They Want Accessible, Affordable & Technology-Enabled Health Care by 30Seconds Health

The American health-care system is undergoing a period of rapid transformation. In recent months, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed new challenges and opportunities to accelerate advances in health-care delivery, solve for systemic health inequities, dramatically improve care outcomes and better meet consumer expectations for convenience and affordability.

With a global pandemic as the backdrop, CVS Health fielded the 2020 Path to Better Health Study, where consumers and providers were asked for their thoughts on the state of health care and how they are navigating this evolving landscape. While certain attitudes may have evolved as a result of COVID-19, the study reveals that consumers need more accessible, personalized and technology-driven health care than ever before – and are seeking simplicity in the way they engage in their own health.

The use of technology and data analytics in health care is reaching new heights, and the pandemic is accelerating the adoption of digitally based solutions. Consumers are eagerly embracing tech, especially when it comes to communicating with their providers. Forty-eight percent said they would be more likely to communicate with health-care professionals if they were able to do so through digital messaging (up from 41 percent in 2019), via telehealth (32 percent, up from 19 percent in 2019) and through virtual office visits such as Skype or FaceTime (29 percent, up from 20 percent in 2019). Additionally, 40 percent of consumers said they would be very likely to receive care for mental and behavioral health virtually.

"The pandemic has forced countless Americans to rethink their approach to health and explore different avenues of care," says Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS Health. "Whether in the community, in the home or in the palm of their hand, people are discovering new ways to conveniently and affordably address their health care needs, including mental and behavioral health. We expect these changes will transform the way care is delivered moving forward."

The need to manage chronic conditions and mental health concerns is clearly top of mind for many consumers. A significant number of people indicated that members of their households are struggling with:

• high blood pressure (41 percent)
• obesity (35 percent)
• mental illness (28 percent) 
• diabetes (17 percent)

Addressing mental health concerns is also of growing importance, especially among those aged 18 to 34 and 35 to 50, where social isolation is a top concern. For example, 44 percent of those aged 18 to 34 and 45 percent of those aged 35 to 50 indicated they no longer have a desire to be social, while only 29 percent of those aged 51 to 64 said the same. This resembles the 2019 findings, in which 48 percent of those 18 to 34 and 45% of those 35 to 50 reported they did not have a desire to be social, versus 35 percent of people aged 51 to 64.

The desire for accessibility is pushing people to explore new avenues of care. While a majority (62 percent) of consumers still go to their primary care physician (PCP) to treat a minor illness or injury, nearly one-third (31 percent) are likely to visit a non-emergency walk-in clinic. This is up from 2019, in which 59 percent of consumers reported going to their PCP for a minor illness or injury, while 28 percent said they would visit a non-emergency walk-in clinic. Digital solutions such as telemedicine are also growing in popularity with both patients and providers.

Most consumers (92 percent) said it is very or somewhat important that health care be convenient – a factor that has only become more critical as a result of COVID-19.

About one-third (35 percent) of people said health-care costs are an obstacle to staying healthy, and close to half (49 percent) have not visited a doctor when they had a minor illness or injury due to cost. Despite cost emerging as a top barrier to care, it is not often a topic of discussion between patients and health care providers. Two-thirds of patients (66 percent) said their PCP and other health-care providers had not asked about the "affordability" of health care and/or discussed resources to assist with these costs, up slightly from 64 p ercent in the 2019 Path to Better Health Study.

Other highlights from the study include:

• Health-care providers are increasingly turning to digital tools and technologies to care for and connect with their patients. Telemedicine is of particular interest, with 40 percent of providers saying it is very valuable for communicating with patients, up from 22 percent in the 2019 study. The future outlook for incorporating predictive analytics or artificial intelligence into provider practices also looks strong, with more than one-third (39 percent) indicating they already have or are very or somewhat likely to integrate these technologies into their practices within the next several years.

• Providers are expressing the need for additional support for important community resources, but access is improving. For example, many providers said they have fair or poor access to substance abuse counselors (56 percent) and mental health counselors (50 percent), down from 63 percent and 55 percent in our 2019 study, respectively.

• Many providers are experiencing burnout symptoms. Three-fourths (75 percent) of all providers said they feel burned out very frequently, frequently or sometimes. About one-quarter (27 percent) said the main cause of burnout is time spent documenting care/electronic record systems, followed by administrative/management requirements/paperwork (25 percent).

Read the full study.

The information on 30Seconds.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your personal healthcare provider.

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