COVID-19 reignited consumers' interest in health and well-being, and they are looking for more personalized care to align with that, according to a new survey from CVS Health.
The healthcare giant released its annual Health Insights survey this week, which polled 1,000 consumers and found that 85% believe personalized care is important. In addition, 83% said they want their primary care physician to know about their family medical history, genetics and inherited lifestyle habits.
Digging deeper, the report finds that patients expect their providers to understand their lifestyles. For example, 83% want their doctors to understand lifestyle habits that impact their health, while 80% want them to understand their health goals. Seventy percent said they want their providers to understand their supportive relationships.
"The pandemic changed nearly everything about our world including the way many consumers view the importance of their health," CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch said in a statement. "As we look to the future, CVS Health is uniquely positioned to reimagine health care that is centered around people simpler, more accessible, and more affordable, with better health outcomes."
In addition, the survey found patients have a renewed interest in preventive care. Half of those surveyed said their annual wellness visit is what most often leads them to meet with their primary care provider. Of people aged 65 and over, 79% said this was the main reason.
Further, 17% said they are more likely now to book annual checkups and screenings than they were pre-pandemic.
The survey found that while patients expect a more personalized experience, they also expect to see a more integrated experience. More than half (59%) said access to virtual and telehealth services is important to them, and 35% of patients are likely to consider a virtual visit if a physical exam is not needed.
Most (88%) of customers said receiving automated appointment reminders via phone and text is important to them, according to the survey.
Consumers also said they are open to nontraditional options. More than half (54%) said holistic options including diet, exercise and counseling are very or somewhat important to them.