Despite anxiety over undiagnosed health conditions, one-third of Americans have increasing trust in their healthcare provider

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Sep 10, 2024, 10:00 ET

Third annual PatientPoint poll of 2,000 nationally represented U.S. adults reveals patient sentiment about healthcare.

CINCINNATI, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PatientPoint®, a leading digital health company, today announced the release of the 2024 Patient Confidence Index, the company's annual patient survey. This year's data revealed that despite increased anxieties related to their health, Americans feel more confident consulting their doctor about their fears.

2024 PatientPoint Patient Confidence Index

The third annual PatientPoint-commissioned survey of 2,000 Americans, conducted by Talker Research, uncovered that 42% of people have a persistent anxiety that they have an undiagnosed health condition. Respondents revealed the top three conditions they are most worried about: cancer, mental health and diabetes.

However, people are less fearful to bring these concerns to their doctor: This year's Patient Confidence Index found that only 25% of those surveyed are afraid to talk to their healthcare provider about their conditions and/or symptoms, which is a significant decrease from 2023 (46%) and 2022 (51%).

Growing trust in their healthcare provider may be a reason why people are willing to talk with their doctor more: The PatientPoint survey found one-third (33%) of Americans have felt trust in their healthcare provider increase over the past year.

Yet the increasing trust in doctors themselves hasn't eliminated the inherent fear associated with visiting a doctor's office. In fact, over half (54%) said they feel a sense of anxiety before a doctor's appointment—an upward trend from 39% in 2022 and 48% in 2023. When asked why, respondents said they're concerned about being judged (37%), not being able to afford treatment or medications (29%) or being referred to a specialist (29%).

An additional concern noted by respondents is the lack of information: 53% said they wish they knew how to properly describe their conditions or symptoms better before talking to their healthcare provider. Likewise, 49% said they would like to have access to more information and advice on how to talk to their provider.

"A significant opportunity exists for providers to build trust by more actively engaging patients in their health journey," said PatientPoint Founder and CEO Mike Collette. "Connecting patients with the right education before, during and after their visit empowers them to not only have more meaningful conversations with their doctor but ultimately make more informed decisions regarding their health."

Despite the need for more information, four in five individuals (81%) felt their healthcare provider listens to their concerns, and only 37% left their appointments feeling confused, down from 48% in 2022.

The 2024 PatientPoint Patient Confidence Index also explored patients' trust in the technology used by healthcare providers:

30% trust the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their doctor's office
59% trust wearables that track and collect data about their health
57% trust interactive touchscreens in their doctor's office
56% trust remote patient monitoring through their provider

More than a quarter (28%) believe their health experience could be more personalized by having access to medication information specific to their condition, as well as having an exam room that welcomes them by name (20%) and relevant education sent to them before their visit (19%).

"As healthcare providers continue to seek ways to make the patient experience more personalized, the need to give patients tailored information at every point along their unique health journey will be paramount," said Collette. "We know when patients receive highly relevant content at the right time, it's an incredibly powerful motivator that results in better health outcomes."

See the full report here.

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 nationally represented Americans was commissioned by PatientPoint May 15 through May 20, 2024 and conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

About PatientPoint

PatientPoint® is a leading digital health company that connects patients, healthcare providers and life sciences companies with the right information in the moments care decisions are made. Our solutions are proven to influence patient behavior and improve health outcomes, driving value for all stakeholders. Across the nation's largest network of connected digital devices in 35,000 physician offices, PatientPoint solutions empower better health for more than 750 million patient visits each year. Learn more at patientpoint.com.

SOURCE PatientPoint