PATIENTS + DOCTORS + MACHINES

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Accenture 2018 Consumer Survey on Digital Health

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Norway’s healthcare consumers are increasingly open to using intelligent technologies, sharing data and allowing a combination of man and machine to power a new model of healthcare.

Several healthcare technology advancements are converging to deliver significant

benefits to consumers. According to research from Accenture, healthcare consumers

continue to show strong use of digital technology for self-service care — and the

numbers are rising each year. In 2018, 71 percent of Norwegian consumers surveyed

say that technology is important to managing their health — up from 60 percent

in 2016.

Patients are increasingly sophisticated in their use of healthcare technology, and are

more and more open to intelligent technologies taking on elements of their care, such

as medical consultations and monitoring.

In some areas, such as patient portals, healthcare providers are keeping pace with

demand. But when it comes to virtual care, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI),

consumer interest is outpacing what providers currently offer. There is an opportunity

for providers to differentiate themselves by offering new, technologically advanced

services that satisfy consumer interest and expectations. These services typically help

to advance a new model of care in which patients, doctors and machines work together.

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Figure 1. Healthcare consumers are increasingly using some technologies to manage their health

Figure 2. Consumers are becoming more active in managing their health

17% 20%

2016 2018

Wearable technology

Mobile/tablet app

29% 44%

Consumers are increasingly using technology to manage their health More and more, consumers are using self-service digital health tools that go

beyond websites. Accenture’s research shows increases across the seven

countries surveyed in the use of mobile, electronic health records (EHRs), social

media and wearables.

Websites continue to be the most commonly used technology: 53 percent

of Norwegian consumers are using them to manage their health, up from 40

percent in 2016. The use of mobile phones and tablets has also increased since

2016—from 29 percent to 44 percent. Meanwhile, use of wearables and social

platforms have shown a steady increase in the past two years (see Figure 1).

Consumers are becoming more active in managing their health

Use of wearables has increased since 2016, from 17 percent to 20 percent.

Less than half (44 percent) of healthcare consumers are using mobile/tablet

apps, compared to just 29 percent in 2016 (see Figure 2).

Source: Accenture 2018

Smart scales

12% 14%

Online communities

14%14%

Electronic health records

31%

17%

Social media

33%

27%

Remote monitoring

Remote consultation

Wearable technology

Mobile Websites

2018 2016

53%

40% 44%

29%

17%20%

11%

16%

8%

4%

WEA

RA

BLE

S 4

Figure 3. Healthcare consumers are willing to share health data from their wearable devices with a variety of audiences

Consumers see wearables as beneficial for health Figure 4. Healthcare consumers agree that using wearable

health devices to monitor glucose, heart rate, physical

activity, sleep or weight helps with:

Consumers are willing to share data from wearable devices Consumers are prepared to share their wearable health device data with their doctor

(89 percent) and with a nurse or other healthcare professional (82 percent). They are less

interested in sharing wearable device data with an online community (26 percent) and their

employer (29 percent).

Interestingly, fewer consumers are now willing to share wearables data with their health

insurance plan (down from 43 percent in 2016 to 39 percent in 2018). They are more willing

to share data with friends or family members (up from 51 percent in 2016 to 63 percent

in 2018) (see Figure 3). Understanding your health condition

Source: Accenture 2018

Your doctor

Your nurse/healthcare

professional

Friend or family

member

Online community/

other app users

2018 201689%

76% 82%

67% 63%

51%

22%26%

A government department/

agency

54%

Your employer

29%24%

Your health insurance

plan

39%43%

75++F100+F 75%

Overall quality of care�++F100+F55%

Engagement with your own health�++F100+F 69%

Patient/ physician communication 69++F100+F66%

Accuracy of your medical record 69++F100+F62%

Monitoring the health of a loved one�++F100+F 53%

Source: Accenture 2018

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Lab test results are seen as the most helpful electronic patient record data Of Norwegian respondents, 39 percent have accessed electronic patient records,

whereas in Finland, for example, the figure is 74 percent.

Norway’s respondents rate lab work and blood test results

(51 percent), physician notes (46 percent) and prescription

medication history (44 percent) as the three pieces of data

that are most important in helping them to manage their

health (see Figure 5). Finnish respondents, meanwhile, also

report these as the top three most helpful types of data,

but there is more universal agreement in each case, with

corresponding results of 80 percent, 72 percent and 70

percent respectively.

Figure 5. The most helpful health management information contained in electronic patient records

51%

46% 44%40%

9%

Lab work & blood-test

results

Physician notes from medical

visits/condition

Prescription medication

history

X-rays or nuclear imaging results

17%

Immunization status

21%

Personal profile information

Billing information

Source: Accenture 2018

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Healthcare consumers are beginning to take advantage of virtual care Just under one-fifth (19 percent) of Norwegian consumers surveyed say they

have received virtual healthcare services (see Figure 6).

Of those who have accessed care virtually, 45 percent were satisfied with the

experience. 34 percent of all respondents would prefer a more immediate,

virtual appointment over a delayed, in-person appointment.

These consumers want virtual options so they can receive care on their own

terms, and there is little difference here between the preferences of those who

are chronically ill and those who are not.

Figure 6. A fifth of patients are receiving virtual healthcare

2018

NOYES

19%

81%

VIR

TUA

LSource: Accenture 2018

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Appetite for virtual care is increasing for a variety of activities Given the choice, healthcare consumers would use virtual

care for a variety of activities – from e-visits to diagnosis to

group therapy.

Notably, nearly three-quarters of Norwegian healthcare

consumers (72 percent) would use virtual care for an after-

hours appointment, and more than half (55 percent) would

use it for a follow-up appointment after seeing a doctor

or other healthcare professional in person. Nearly half

(48 percent), meanwhile, would discuss a specific health

concern virtually with a doctor or other healthcare provider

(see Figure 7).

Figure 7. The top applications for virtual care

Have an exam for a non-urgent condition such as rash, sore throat, sinus condition

55%

63%

48%

50%

53%

55%

72%

66%

85%

83%Get reminders to do things to help me stay healthy

Get daily support to manage an ongoing health issue

An after-hours appointment (e.g. at night or on a weekend)

Get follow-up care services in my home after being hospitalized

Discuss a specific health concern with a doctor or other healthcare provider

Attend a class about a specific condition you have (such as diabetes)

Have a follow-up appointment (after seeing a doctor or healthcare professional in person)

Participate in a support group

Get reminders to take my medications

Source: Accenture 2018

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Figure 8. The top advantages of in-person and virtual healthcare servicesPerceived advantages of virtual care Six in ten healthcare consumers (61 percent) believe that virtual care

reduces medical costs to patients. Consumers also see advantages in

accommodating patients’ schedules (49 percent) and physicians’ schedules

(46 percent) (see Figure 8).

When it comes to in-person care, consumers perceive the top advantages to

be providing quality care to patients (64 percent), engaging patients in their

health/healthcare decisions (52 percent), and diagnosing problems more

quickly (48 percent).

IN-PERSON CARE

VIRTUALCARE

64%

52%

48%

Providing quality care to patients

Engaging patients in their health/healthcare decisions

Diagnosing problems more quickly

61%

49%

46%

Reducing medical costs to patients

Accommodating patients' schedules

Accommodating physicians' schedules

Source: Accenture 2018

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Healthcare consumers see advantages in AI-powered health services Healthcare consumers say they are likely to use a variety of intelligent health technologies.

Among others, these include home devices that test blood for a variety of indicators (55

percent), virtual health assistants to help with costs, appointments and coverage (51 percent),

and virtual nurses that monitor their condition, medications and vital signs at home (43

percent) (see Figure 9).

Patients like the availability and time savings of AI. Among those who are likely to use an AI

doctor, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) say they would do so because it is available whenever

they need it.

Those who are unlikely to use an AI doctor, meanwhile, say they like visiting their doctor (28

percent) and are concerned that AI might not understand their emotions (27 percent), or

understand what they say (26 percent) (see Figure 10).

Figure 9. The intelligent health technologies that consumers are most likely to use

Figure 10. Reasons why healthcare consumers will/will not use an AI-powered virtual doctor

33%

25%

39%

35%

43%

44%

46%

51%

55%Device to test blood at home for variety of indicators

Virtual health assistant to help with costs/appointments/coverage

Robotic device to draw blood sample from vein in arm

Surgical procedure by surgeon assisted by robot in operating theatre

Virtual clinicial to help diagnose a health issue

Advice service that makes AI-enabled predictions (longer term)

Virtual nurse to monitor conditions/meds/vital signs at home

AI technology that analyzes your genome/DNA & reveal genetic health risks

Virtual coach to manage health/wellbeing

100+F100+F 100+F�29++F 26++F

63%

28%

30%

27%

29%

26%

100+F36++F100+F36++F100+F26++F

Why use AI?

Why not?

Available whenever I need it

Might not understand me properly

Saves time by avoiding a trip to the doctor

Assesses vast amounts of relevant information

I like visiting the doctor

Would not understand my emotions

…use AiDoc to get info. after hours/you can’t get immediate doctor’s appt.

…use AiDoc to seek advice about managing illness diagnosed by human doctor

…give AiDoc access to health record to analyze/provide assessment

…follow AiDoc’s advice to change your lifestyle habits

…use AiDoc for emergency advice

…use AiDoc to help you naviagte healthcare services

…use AiDoc to diagnose your symptoms

…use AiDoc for a sexual health issue

…use AiDoc for mental health advice/counseling

…cancel doc appt. because AiDoc said symptoms improve 29%

34%

39%

40%

41%

51%

51%

52%

62%

66%

Source: Accenture 2018

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27%45%Prefers robot-assisted surgery when benefits mentioned

Prefers robot-assisted surgery

Prefers AI-driven planning

Humans matter, but machines can help When asked to imagine that their provider has given them access to new

AI-powered services, respondents say they are likely to use these services

for a variety of reasons: to access information after hours (66 percent), for

help with navigating healthcare services (62 percent) and for advice about

lifestyle habits (51 percent) (see Figure 11).

According to research by Accenture, robot-assisted surgery1 is the AI

application with the greatest potential near-term impact, likelihood of

adoption and value to the health economy.2

However, of the countries surveyed, Norway has the highest percentage

of people (58 percent) who prefer human surgery planning and traditional

(non-robot-assisted) surgery (52 percent).

24 percent of respondents prefer AI-driven surgery planning and 27 percent

prefer robot-assisted surgery, but a much larger 45 percent prefer robot-

assisted surgery once its benefits are made clear (see Figure 12).

1 Orthopedic surgery specifically

2 https://www.accenture.com/au-en/insight-artificial-intelligence-healthcare

Figure 12. Consumers' preference for AI-driven surgery planning and robot-assisted surgery

Figure 11. Consumers’ likelihood of using health services powered by intelligent technology to...

�+100+F 36++F100+F 24%

�++F100+F

1. This research suggests that emerging technologies are shifting the composition of the care team.

2. Consumers are increasingly using digital technologies to manage their own health, are adopting virtual care, and recognize the advantages of harnessing the collective power of humans and machines.

3. It is no exaggeration to describe this as the emergence of a new era in healthcare.

4. Patients, machines and doctors can work together to improve the accessibility, effectiveness and affordability of healthcare.

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Next-generation healthcare is here

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Geir Prestegård geir.prestegard@accenture.com

Andreas Auensen M.D. andreas.auensen@accenture.com

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Accenture Health

Accenture 2018 Consumer Survey on Digital Health

Accenture commissioned a seven-country survey of 7,905 consumers aged 18+ to assess their attitudes toward healthcare technology, modernization and service innovation. It is the latest in a series of annual health technology surveys tracking the perspectives of consumers across themes ranging from electronic health records and health management to virtual health and cybersecurity. The online survey included consumers across seven countries: Australia (1,031), England (1,043), Finland (848), Norway (768), Singapore (957), Spain (957), and the United States (2,301). The survey was conducted by Longitude on behalf of Accenture between October 2017 and January 2018.

Where relevant, the survey uses select findings from the Accenture 2016 Consumer Survey on Patient Engagement.

About Accenture Insight Driven Health

Insight driven health is the foundation of more effective, efficient and affordable healthcare. That’s why the world’s leading healthcare providers and health plans choose Accenture for a wide range of insight driven health services that help them use knowledge in new ways – from the back office to the doctor’s office. Our committed professionals combine real-world experience, business and clinical insights and innovative technologies to deliver the power of insight driven health. For more information, visit: www.accenture.com/no-en/health-industry-index.

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 449,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

This document is produced by consultants at Accenture as general guidance. It is not intended to provide specific advice on your circumstances. If you require advice or further details on any matters referred to, please contact your Accenture representative.