A nationally representative survey, commissioned by Silver Fern Healthcare, revealed 97% of Americans are willing to provide information about their daily health habits if that information allowed their provider to help them reach their health goals (e.g., lose weight, eat healthy, prevent or manage chronic disease).
Silver Fern’s survey also measured the ideal length of patient health surveys and found that 29% of respondents are willing to spend 4-6 minutes answering survey questions, 24% are willing to spend 7-10 minutes, 12% are willing to spend 11-15 minutes, 12% are willing to spend more than 15 minutes, 20% are willing to spend 3 minutes or less, and fewer than 3% reported they would not participate. Four- to six-minutes was preferred by most 18-54-year-olds, while 55-59-year-olds chose ‘4-6 minutes’, or ‘7-10 minutes’ slightly more than the other choices, and 65-74-year-olds chose ‘7-10 minutes’ significantly more than the other choices.
This data suggests that people are not only willing to answer questions digitally in advance of doctors’ visits – their willingness is connected to their desire to discuss and address health goals with their doctor. Patients are already routinely asked to complete questionnaires related to their health history in advance of doctors’ visits. These same platforms could be used to distribute assessments that help unlock information about patients’ current day-to-day behaviors and the barriers they are experiencing to health. By uncovering key information about their patients’ daily behaviors and health challenges prior to appointments, care teams can use their time with the patient most efficiently to deliver more personalized care and help individuals achieve their goals.
With the right insights, clinicians can help patients see patterns in their typical day and lifestyle, including diet, exercise, sleep, and other daily activities, as well as identify psychosocial factors that impact mental, emotional, and physical health. As a result, patients become more aware of their attitudes, beliefs, strengths, and roadblocks to good health and can begin the guided journey to better choices and, therefore, better health outcomes.
Due to the focus on acute care and medical treatments in our healthcare system, there has been an underinvestment in systematically exploring and addressing the primary drivers of poor health, namely daily lifestyle behaviors; psychological, environmental, and social factors; and behavioral health barriers, which research shows collectively contribute to 60% of personal health outcomes1.
A personalized approach needs to be a key part of the strategy aimed at improving our nation’s health. This is further underscored by the long-term, widespread general health and behavioral health challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. We now have an opportunity to consider how we might radically adjust our approach to healthcare and equip our healthcare professionals with the tools they need to better connect with their patients.
1 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa073350
Prior to a doctor appointment, how much time would you be willing to spend answering online surveys about your daily health habits (e.g. diet, exercise, stress level) IF that information allowed your health care providers to help you reach your health goals (e.g. lose weight, eat healthy, prevent or manage chronic disease)?*
*Poll conducted by 1Q on behalf of Silver Fern Healthcare.