Imagine a future in which more consumers engage with the health care system – a future that holds the promise of more effective, efficient, and satisfying care experiences and better health outcomes for those individuals and the accountable care populations to which they belong. Findings from Deloitte’s 2015 Survey of US Health Care Consumers suggest we are moving closer to that future as consumer engagement increases in three important areas. Explore trends in consumers’ use of online resources and health technologies: http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/health-care-consumer-engagement.html.

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Copyright © 2015 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
Source: Deloitte Center for Health Solutions 2015 Survey of US Health Care Consumers
For more on the survey findings, implications, and methodology, please visit:
www.deloitte.com/us/health-care-consumer-engagement
Meet today’s health care consumer
Trends in consumer engagement from the Deloitte Center for
Health Solutions 2015 Survey of US Health Care Consumers
Partnering with providers: More consumers report wanting to partner
with doctors1
Tapping online resources: Consumer use and trust in the reliability of
information sources is trending upward
More consumers today
(48% of consumers surveyed)
prefer to partner with doctors
instead of relying passively on
them to make treatment decisions
63% of technology
users surveyed (70% of
users with major chronic
conditions) say that utilizing
health technologies has
had a significant impact
on their behavior
Only 40% of technology users
surveyed (62% of users with major
chronic conditions) have shared
their fitness or monitoring data
with their doctor
Consumer use of technology to
measure fitness and health improvement
goals has grown to 28% — up from 17%
in 2013
Poor health status
Consumers with major
health issues generally
show the highest
levels of engagement,
a promising trend that
those who may have
the greatest need to be
more engaged are in fact
moving in that direction.
Younger
Younger consumers are
on a fast upward trajectory,
starting at a higher level of
engagement and showing
the greatest gains.
Higher income
Higher-income groups are
more engaged than lower-
income groups which may
reflect differences in access,
awareness, and education.
With Millennial
use at 45%
of survey respondents
strongly believe that
doctors should encourage
patients to research and
ask questions about
their treatment
48%
40%
in 200844%
in 2012
34%
feel that doctors
should explain
treatment costs
before decisions
are made
58%
Relying on technology: Consumer use of technology to measure fitness,
monitor health problems, and stick to treatment is on the rise
52%
of survey respondents report
searching online for health-
or care-related information 25% of consumers surveyed
say they have looked at a scorecard
to compare the performance of
doctors, hospitals, or health plans —
up from 19% in 2013
Online research is highest
among Millennials, higher-
income groups, and those who
have coverage through public
health insurance exchanges
22% of consumers
surveyed report using
technology to access, store,
or transmit personal data
or medical records —
up from 13% in 2013
Among Millennials
who received care,
scorecard use grew
from 31% in 2013
to 49% in 2015
37% of Millennials
surveyed report using social
media for health purposes —
up from 28% in 2013
31%
2015
2013
49%
2015
2013
22%
13%
Deloitte’s behavioral-attitudinal segmentation identifies six unique consumer segments
that differ systematically in how they approach their health and health care.
Differences in health care behaviors and attitudes:
Six distinct approaches to consumer engagement
Casual and Cautious
• Least engaged (less need)
• Cost-conscious, but least
prepared financially
• Prefers partnering with
doctors instead of relying on
doctors or self when making
decisions
• Low trust in and use of
information resources
• Low use of and interest in
health technologies
• Least compliant
Content and Compliant
• Happy with plan and providers
• High trust in doctors — most likely to rely on
doctors to make decisions and least likely to question
• Low use of online information resources
• Low use of and interest in health technologies
• Adheres to treatment recommendations
Online and Onboard
• Happy with care, but wants
to understand options and partner
with doctors to make decisions
• High use of online resources — wants
quality/price details
• High use of and interest in health technologies
• Interested in communicating electronically with doctors
Sick and Savvy
• Heavy users of health care
• High trust in doctors
• Partners with doctors to
make decisions
• Most prepared financially
to handle future costs
• Some use of online resources
• Some use of and interest
in health technologies
Out and About
• Independent — tends to rely on
self when making decisions,
but raises questions
• Prefers providers who use or
integrate alternative medicine and
treatment approaches
• High use of online resources
• Some use of and interest in
health technologies
Shop and Save
• Partners with doctors, but raises questions
• Actively seeks options and switches plans, doctors, and
medications for better value
• High use of online resources — wants quality/price details
• High use of and interest in health technologies
• Saves for future health care costs
6health care
consumer
segments
34%
22%
19%
6%
8%
11%
Some groups are transforming into engaged consumers
faster than others
Consumer engagement is increasing in three important areas
Tech-based monitoring
among consumers with
major chronic conditions
has nearly doubled in
the last two years —
from 22% to 39%
Use of electronic treatment alerts or reminders
is increasing quickly among Millennial prescription
medication users (14% in 2013 to 29% in 2015),
more gradually among users overall (9% in 2013
to 13% in 2015)
Consumers trust physicians the most for reliable
information about treatment options, but their
trust in pharmacies, health plans, and life sciences
companies is increasing
Physicians
Pharmacies
Health plans
Life sciences
companies
Chart shows growth from 2012 to 2015
49%
32%
21%
18%
44%
27%
14%
12%
29%14%
72%
are interested
in doing so
21%of consumers surveyed say they
have communicated with a provider using
secure messaging, texting, or email
2
3
Deloitte Center
for Health Solutions