Even in the best of circumstances, a visit to the doctor’s office induces anxiety. For instance, a routine physical with basic diagnostic testing can reveal any number of life-altering conditions. Factor in the attendant wellness paranoia of the sorta-post-COVID era and, well, it’s easy to understand why so many would-be patients duck routine care appointments.
But according to the 2023 PatientPoint Patient Confidence Index, for which the company tapped OnePoll to survey 2,000 Americans, the anxiety isn’t exclusively fueled by what-if scenarios. Much of it has to do with the information with which patients are armed — or unarmed — as they head into the doctor’s office. For instance, nearly half of survey respondents reported that they don’t have enough information or education to prepare them for their visits. That figure surged 10 percentage points (to 48%, from 38%) over last year’s sum.
There’s an obvious opportunity for the industry here, both in terms of readying patients in advance of their visits and providing information that can be shared on site. It’s one that needs to be seized.
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From the October 01, 2023 Issue of MM+M - Medical Marketing and Media
