The Academy

The Health Management Academy

CONSUMER ANALYTICS

INNOVATION INSPIRES CONFIDENCE

Over the past few years, Americans have grown increasingly concerned about the state of the U.S. healthcare system. To dig
into this issue, The Health Management Academy (The Academy) conducted a national survey of 1,500 consumers, September
16-21, 2015. Respondents were asked about their confidence in the healthcare system now compared to five years ago. As Figure
1 shows, 25% indicated they were more confident, 35% indicated having a similar level of confidence and 37% indicated having
less confidence in the healthcare system. Given the increased federal and state dollars flowing into the healthcare system, it is
troubling that more than one-third of respondents have less confidence in the healthcare system.
Figure 1.
Are you more or less confident in the healthcare system today than you were five
years ago, or has your view of the healthcare system stayed about the same?

50%
45%
40%

37%

35%
30%
25%

More Confident
35%

25%

Less Confident
About the Same
as Before

20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
*Data from Health Management Academy national surveys, each of 1,500 adults

Consumer research conducted by The Academy (and other outlets) points to three primary explanations for this sentiment:
1. Political Football The U.S. healthcare system has been used daily as a political football for the better part of the past
decade. The two major parties routinely trade barbs that the others solutions will reduce access, increase costs, lower
entitlement spending, or decrease quality. Caught in the middle are consumers who see the negativity play out in the
political arena or in television advertisements. A study by the non-partisan Kantar Medias Campaign Media Analysis
Group last year showed that spending on negative political healthcare ads has outpaced positive political healthcare ads
by 15 to 1 since the laws passage in 2010.
THE HEALTH MANAGEMENT ACADEMY | 515 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 | (703) 548-1022 | www.hmacademy.com | Page 1

2. Increasing Costs While recent data have shown a slowdown in healthcare costs overall, few would argue the average
American feels that their healthcare spending has slowed down. A Gallup survey conducted in April found that 55% of
Americans are very or moderately worried they wont be able to pay medical costs of a serious illness or accident, making
this the second highest financial concern of Americans.
3. Rapid Changes The oft labeled slow-to-change healthcare industry is in fact undergoing multiple changes taking
place at a swift pace. Consumers, not intimately familiar and knowledgeable of the complex healthcare system, are often
left wondering how they will be impacted by new forms of care delivery or new payment systems.
For providers, these trends should be troubling. Fears of limited access or rising costs contribute to patients and consumers
disengaging from the healthcare system. The Gallup survey referred to above, showed that people who rate as very healthy
are much more confident in the system (34% more confident, 34% less confident), whereas those who rate as unhealthy have
significantly less confidence (18% more confident, 45% less confident). Whether cause or correlation, instilling confidence in the
healthcare system in these individuals is important to managing their care. As healthcare providers know, disengaged patients
are not only harmful to the patients themselves, but can be extremely costly to providers.
However, there is opportunity for Leading Health Systems to instill confidence in their consumers. Upon closer examination
of the data, there is a notable difference that could have an impact on changing attitudes. Among consumers who indicated
having received care in a retail setting (Figure 2) or telehealth care (Figure 3), there is a significant difference in their view of the
healthcare system.
Figure 2.
Confidence in the U.S. Healthcare System by Having
Received Care in Retail Setting

More
Less
About
Confident Confident the Same
Received Care
in Retail Setting
Did Not Receive Care
in Retail Setting

Net

(more/less)

39%

34%

25%

+5

19%

39%

39%

-20

Figure 3.
Confidence in the U.S. Healthcare System by Having
Received Telehealth Care

More
Less
About
Confident Confident the Same
Received
Telehealth Care
Did Not Receive
Telehealth Care

Net

(more/less)

52%

25%

23%

+27

22%

39%

37%

-17

Those who have received care through one of these platforms are much more confident about the healthcare system than those
who have not. Increasing the confidence of consumers is critical to increasing engagement the more engaged the consumer,
the more providers can deliver high quality care and continue to be reimbursed for that care. It is vitally important for Leading
Health Systems, who are the drivers of innovation in care delivery, to note that these advancements inspire confidence by the
patient.
Jarrett Lewis, Executive Director, Consumer Analytics, The Health Management Academy
THE HEALTH MANAGEMENT ACADEMY | 515 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 | (703) 548-1022 | www.hmacademy.com | Page 2