Digital Solutions Offering a Hybrid Approach are Valued for Healthcare, According to New Survey from XP Health and Ipsos

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Jun 25, 2024, 09:03 ET

Employees are drawn to the high-quality content, trust and clarity of information found with consumer digital platforms such as Amazon, Google and Netflix

SAN CARLOS, Calif., June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey conducted by XP Health and Ipsos suggests that offering digital solutions with a hybrid (i.e., in-person or virtual) approach can improve satisfaction with vision care.

XP Health, a company dedicated to modernizing vision care with a digital-first vision platform, partnered with Ipsos, one of the world's leading market research companies, for a survey to understand employees' and employers' drivers and barriers to digital platform usage, the impact of consumer digital platforms on the expectations employees have of their employer-sponsored benefits, and opinions, preferences and usage of healthcare benefits. They surveyed 710 respondents in the U.S., including 510 employees and 200 employers, between April 11 and May 1, 2024.

"The rapidly evolving digital and workplace landscapes, like other verticals, are perpetually influenced by our consumer experiences with ubiquitous brands like Netflix, Google, and other brands. Vision is one of the last spaces in health to benefit from digital influence, requiring the vision care industry to rethink its strategies and develop innovative digital solutions that cater to the unmet needs of employees and their employer," said Antonio Moraes, CEO and co-founder of XP Health.

Among surveyed employees and employers, 75 percent of employees and 91 percent of employers believe digital platforms would facilitate easier access to benefits. Furthermore, 68 percent of these employees and 89 percent of these employers affirm that digital health platforms would make accessing benefits more convenient.

Even though employees consider vision care benefits important, there is a noticeable disconnect in their satisfaction level: only 41 percent of surveyed employees associate vision care with ease of access or convenience, 40 percent believe they have access to high-quality benefits providers, and 37 percent perceive vision care benefits as clear and easy to understand.

Seventy-three percent of employees surveyed stated they were comfortable accessing their vision benefits via a digital platform, with 22 percent preferring to access their vision benefits via a hybrid or virtual platform first. From the employee perspective, hybrid care is associated with access to a healthcare facility covered by their insurance (42 percent), the transparency of cost (40 percent), having providers they trust (38 percent), and a high-quality service (37 percent).

"With 60 percent of employees surveyed stating that they would be more likely to use their healthcare benefits if a digital health option was available, employers could potentially increase benefits usage and overall satisfaction by incorporating a digital health platform that aligns with employees' needs," added Moraes. "Currently, employees prefer in-office visits for doctor's appointments, but as digital gains ground across healthcare and as technology improves, we expect virtual to gain acceptance. For vision care, a digital-first approach with hybrid care is the future."

The survey suggests that employers may address unmet needs in employee benefit access and increase utilization by offering a digital solution that aligns with a traditional consumer experience. In fact, 59 percent of employees surveyed stated that their experience with healthcare benefits could be improved by offering a similar experience to major digital platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Google and YouTube. Further, regardless of the type of digital platform, the survey showed that the most crucial factors employees consider when using a digital platform are high-quality content (87 percent), easily comprehensible content (86 percent), affordable/low cost (86 percent), and trust in the platform (86 percent).

"This survey found that there is both employer willingness to offer and employee willingness to use digital health platforms, and increasingly they are hybrid options," said Ashley Lumpkin, Head of Health Insurance Advisory, Ipsos. "However, to be successful, these platforms must align with attributes that employees deem important. Those associated with traditional consumer platforms – high-quality content, trust, and clarity – are the very ones missing in current healthcare offerings."

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Methodology:
The findings are based on a survey conducted online in the United States by IPSOS on behalf of XP Health This 20-minute online survey for employees and 10-min online survey for employers was fielded between April 11, 2024, and May 1, 2024 and included 710 respondents, 510 employees and 200 employers. This survey screened respondents for employees who identified as non-managerial employees with employer-sponsored healthcare benefits and employers who identified, as a manager, director or executive, works in human resources or administration and are directly responsible for employees' healthcare benefits. No post-hoc weights were applied to this study, and the findings reflect the opinion of these respondents only.

About Ipsos
Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, operating in 90 markets and employing nearly 20,000 people. Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 business solutions are based on primary data from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques. "Game Changers" – our tagline – summarizes our ambition to help our 5,000 clients navigate with confidence our rapidly changing world. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120, Mid-60 indices, STOXX Europe 600 and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD). ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com

About XP Health
XP Health democratizes access to high-quality, delightful experiences in vision care that double coverage and reduce costs. It is a digital-first vision platform focused on eye exams and eyewear that uses customer-centric design and technology to create a better member experience and improve access. XP Health was founded to combat the often confusing, expensive, and frustrating experiences common with vision care and vision insurance. XP Health was named to Fast Company's 2021 list of "The World's Most Innovative Companies," and over the past year has expanded from 30 to 2,600+ customers, including DocuSign, Navistar, Chegg, Sequoia Consulting, and strategic partner Guardian Life Insurance. To learn more visit xphealth.co.

Media Contact

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SOURCE XP Health