Healthcare is a Consumer Market

By Kari Kemper, Provider Advantage

Health care is a consumer market, according to the 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers, which provides a comprehensive assessment of consumer behaviors, attitudes and unmet needs related to health, health care and health insurance.

"Health care providers might be inclined to think of consumers as patients - passive, somewhat inactive, dependent on doctors to make decisions for them, and often non-adherent to treatment recommendations.  That perspective is short-sighted...."

"They want greater access to information....moving to an consumer orientation means viewing physicians as coaches rather than decision makers, enabling consumers to consider all available options, shifting more responsibility for adherence and outcomers to consumers and expecting consumers to be fully aware of and accountable for spending."

"They have an insatiable appetite for information and they are looking for a source that provides what they need in a useful and timely manner."

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Interesting findings in the study:

• Consumers believe that hospitals are an important community resource...
• Only 7% of consumers say they are financially prepared for their future healthcare needs.  By contrast, 93% say they are insecure about their ability to pay for their future healthcare needs
• 52% of consumers with insurance say they understand their insurance coverage, but less that 1 in 10 consumers are confident they understand their coverage well
• Consumers are paying attention to prices for their prescriptions, office visits, hospital services, and insurance premiums.  They want tools to help them know in advance what those costs will be.