TMCnet News
Tech-Savvy Seniors Want Online Options to Access Care from Home, Accenture Survey ShowsJust as an estimated 3.9 million Americans are reaching 65 years old this year1, an Accenture (NYSE:ACN) survey shows there is growing demand among tech-savvy seniors (67 percent) who want to access healthcare services from home, but the majority (66 percent) are worried today's technology isn't sufficient to do so. "Just as seniors are turning to digital tools for banking, shopping, entertainment and communications, they also expect to handle certain aspects of their healthcare services online," said Kaveh Safavi M.D., global managing director of Accenture's (News - Alert) health business. "What this means for healthcare systems is that they need to consider the role that digital technology can play in making healthcare more convenient for patients of all ages at every touch point." The survey showed seniors who place a higher priority on technology are more likely to proactively manage their health. For example, most seniors (75 percent) who value technology are active in tracking their weight digitally, compared to 43 percent of those who do not. Similarly, half of tech-savvy seniors are actively monitoring their cholesterol, compared to 31 percent of those who do not value technology. Top five areas for growth The survey results indicate that seniors are interested in accessing a number of digital technology applications they can use to better manage their healthcare, including:
Other Accenture research found over half (57 percent) of officials from U.S. state and local government long-term care agencies believe the use of more technology will have an important role in alleviating the challenges of an increasingly older population. Those officials also projected the growing demand for elderly care services will have the most impact over the next decade, while U.S. census data indicates the rising wave of seniors will grow beyond 2025. Methodology Accenture conducted consumer research with 10,730 adults across 10 countries (United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Spain, Norway, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom), including 354 U.S. seniors (ages 65+) receiving Medicare benefits, assessing their perceptions of using technology to manage their health. The survey was fielded between May and June 2014. About Accenture Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 319,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world's most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$30.0 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2014. Its home page is www.accenture.com. 1 U.S. Census Bureau: Estimate of Older Population in the United States, November 2012
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20150302005158/en/ |