Patients to Become Consumers

Digitization and the mass emergence of data-based services will fundamentally change the way healthcare operates within two decades, says a global consumer survey on health trends by the consultancy firm Deloitte.

Patients will become consumers who are proactive in their own health. They find out what services they can use and then work with their doctor to manage their health. These are the key findings of the survey.

Over the next twenty years, technological innovation will fundamentally reshape the healthcare sector. Proactive consumer behavior will become more prevalent and active maintenance of health will come to the fore instead of treating symptoms. Our health becomes consumable, affordable. Through the information materials available on the Internet, people's knowledge of health is expanding, so they can take an active part in their own treatment in the future. The patient is becoming more and more of a customer, as with the information gathered, (s)he expects a high quality of service and information so that he can make an informed decision about the possibilities. The goal is no longer to fight the disease, but to take care of one's body, and this approach can open up many new markets.

Digital solutions to maintain a healthy lifestyle are widespread in countries participating in Deloitte research. 53% of respondents in Singapore, 43% in Canada, 42% in the United States, and 40% in Australia use this type of application or device. Health monitoring apps and tools are less popular: but 20-35% of those surveyed also have one in their home. And digital solutions to help replace prescription drugs are gaining ground primarily in the U.S., Denmark, and the Netherlands.