4 Ways Health Systems Can Capitalize on the DIY Health Care Trend
// By Michael Del Gigante //
We live in the age of empowered individuals. Thanks to digital platforms and tools, it’s easier than ever for the average person to tackle a range of complex tasks on his or her own—from translating a paper into another language to editing an entire movie—using only a computer or smartphone.
Given this trend across other aspects of their lives, is it any wonder consumers have adopted “DIY health care” so swiftly?
People are increasingly comfortable with using everything from websites to activity sensors to monitor their own health, diagnose problems, and self-treat issues without having to deal with a professional in person. The nature of health care, and consumers’ increased focus on wellness and preventive care, is fundamentally, and rapidly, changing.
While initially this shift may seem like a headache for health systems, that’s not necessarily the case. Consumers engaging in DIY health care still very much need the knowledge and capabilities of reliable organizations. But they often want to access this expertise in substantially different ways from how they did in the past.
So how can health systems capitalize on the DIY trend and provide consumers with the experiences they want? Here are four proven approaches, with examples from organizations that are already succeeding with each: