Consumerism: 9 Factors Reshaping the Health Care Landscape

“Health consumerism continues to revolutionize the health care industry,” says Ken Robbins, founder and president of Response Mine Interactive (RMI).

“The days when patients blindly followed their doctors’ recommendations — often without a single question asked — are long gone. Today, physicians and health care organizations face a much more engaged and empowered population. Patients are playing by a different set of rules and increasingly calling the shots. Providers unable to pivot and meet increasing demands of an informed clientele find themselves left behind.”

In our new article, Robbins looks at nine trends reshaping the landscape, in an effort to better understand how the massive shift brought on by health consumerism is turning the health industry upside down. Here’s an excerpt:

1. Self-Diagnosis

The combination of rising health care costs and lack of transparency is behind the widely known trend of self-diagnosis.

A growing number of health consumers turn to Dr. Google instead of their primary care physicians when looking for answers to their health concerns. Not being upfront about the price of services rendered by doctors and hospitals is a real deterrent to many people, and greatly diminishes the health care experience.

2. Alternatives and Substitutes

Patients are beginning to realize that the longer they stay on their meds, the higher the incidence of adverse effects.The findings of a 2012 national survey revealed that more than 38 percent of the U.S. adult population and about 12 percent of American children use non-mainstream medical approaches.

While Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) approaches are not restricted to specific demographics, CAM use is highest among women with higher levels of education and incomes.

Read the full article now: Health Consumerism — 9 Trends to Watch

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President