Hospital Use of Mobile Technology - A MedTouch Bench Marking Study(1)

8/2/2019 Hospital Use of Mobile Technology - A MedTouch Bench Marking Study(1)

1/15

January2012

HospitalUseofMobile

Technology

AMedTouchBenchmarkingStudy

inassociationwiththeSocietyforHealthcareStrategy&

MarketDevelopmentoftheAmericanHospitalAssociation


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2

AbouttheSurveyInthefallof2011,MedTouchpartneredwiththeSocietyforHealthcareStrategyandMarket

DevelopmentoftheAmericanHospitalAssociation(SHSMD)tofindouthowhealthcareorganizations

areusingmobiletechnology.Some2,950SHSMDmembersfromhealthcareorganizationsaroundthe

countrywereinvitedtocompleteabriefonlinesurveyonhowtheirorganizationsarecurrentlyusing

mobiletechnology.

The

purpose

of

the

survey

was

to

help

identify

industry

trends

and

provide

asnapshotofplansforimplementingmobiletechnologyinhealthcareorganizations.

Atotalof241responseswerereceived,foraresponserateof8.2%andamarginoferrorofplusor

minus6percentagepointsatthe95%confidencelevel.

RespondentProfileWhattypeoforganizationdoyourepresent?

AsshowninExhibit1,almost90%ofrespondentssaidtheyworkedforahospitalorhealthsystem.Of

allrespondents,37%wereemployedbyahealthsystem,while29%workedinahospitalwithmorethan

200bedsand23%inahospitalwithfewerthan200beds.Respondentsemployedbyhealthplans,

rehabilitation

hospitals,

physician

groups,

and

integrated

delivery

networks

accounted

for

the

remaining

11%.

Exhibit1.RespondentOrganizations,byType[N=221]

Inwhichgeographicregionisyourorganizationlocated?

AsshowninExhibit2,threeoutoffourrespondentsworkforhealthcareorganizationslocatedinthe

Midwest(34.2%),Southeast(20.9%),orNortheast(19.2%).TheSouthwest,WestCoast,MidAtlantic,

andMountainStatesregionsaccountfortheremaining30.2%.(Percentagessumtomorethan100%

becauseofmultipleresponses.)


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Exhibit2.RespondentOrganizations,byUSRegion(Top3Responses)[N=234]

Whichbestdescribesyourdepartment,andwhatisyourroleintheorganization?

AsshowninExhibit3,amajorityofsurveyrespondents(61%)identifiedthemselvesasmarketing

professionals,followedbycommunications/publicrelations(21%)andbusinessdevelopment/strategic

planningprofessionals(13%).Only1.4%ofrespondentsidentifiedthemselvesaspartofawebteam

separatefrom

the

marketing

department,

with

0.5%

representing

IT

and

0.9%

interactive

and

digital

marketingdepartments.Severalrespondentsworkfordepartmentswhoseresponsibilitiesinclude

businessdevelopment,publicrelations,orinteractiveweb.Thisprofilesupportstheobservationthat

healthcaremarketingandcommunicationsprofessionalswearmanyhatsandcontributetomany

differentfunctionswithintheirorganizations.

Fortythree(43%)percentofrespondentsreportingemploymentasmarketersheldthetitleofdirector,

22%weremanagers,20%wereatthevicepresidentiallevelorhigher,andtheremaining15%identified

themselvesascoordinators,specialists,orassistants.

Ofcommunications/publicrelationsprofessionalsrespondingtothesurvey,56.8%weredirectors,

22.7%weremanagers,13.6%werevicepresidents,and6.8%werespecialists.NoCsuiteexecutives

wereidentifiedinthecommunicationsgroup.


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Exhibit3.DepartmentalAffiliationofRespondents[N=216]

OrganizationalStructureWhichdepartmenthandlesthewebfunctionatyourorganization?

Themajorityofrespondents(65%)saidthatmarketingwasresponsibleforthewebfunction,while21%

identifiedcommunications/publicrelationsasresponsiblefortheweb.Only14%reportedthatITowned

thewebfunction,asignthatinternalroleshaveshiftedwithinhealthcareorganizations.Asthewebhas

maturedintoanimportantmarketingandcommunicationschannel,responsibilityforithasshiftedfromITtomarketing.Inaddition,somerespondentsreportedanoverlapinownershipofthewebfunction.

Forexample,thereweremultipleinstancesofjointwebownershipbetweenITandmarketingaswellas

betweenmarketingandcommunications.

Whichdepartmenthandlesthemobilefunctionatyourorganization?

Whenitcomestomobiletechnology,theinternallandscapechanges.Marketingownershipofthisnew

functiondroppedtoonly45%(from65%forthewebfunction),andITmoveduponlyslightlyto16%

(from14%forthewebfunction).Partofthereasonmaybethatthereisnoclearownershipofthe

mobilefunctioninmanyhealthcareorganizations.Accordingtoonequarterofrespondents,nosingle

departmentownsthemobilefunctionintheirorganization.

Eveninorganizationswithdedicatedweborinteractive/digitalteams,only14%havedesignatedasingle

departmentasownerofthemobilefunction.AfewrespondentsnotedthatITand

marketing/communicationscoownthemobilefunctionintheirorganizationsbecauseoftheirdesireto

developnotonlymobilesitesbutalsomobileapplications.


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MobileWebsitesDoesyourorganizationcurrentlyhaveawebsitethatisoptimizedforamobiledevice?

Sixtysixrespondents(38%)reportedhavinganoptimizedmobilesite,definedasaversionofthemain

hospitalwebsitethatisspecificallydesignedforasmartphone.Ninetyeightrespondents(57%)said

theirorganizationdoesnothaveanoptimizedmobilewebsite,andnine(5%)wereunsure.

Thelikelihoodthatahealthcareorganizationwillhaveanoptimizedsitevariesaccordingtowhich

departmentownsthemobilefunction.Inorganizationsinwhichmarketingownsthemobilefunction,

40%haveanoptimizedmobilesite.Wherecommunications/publicrelationsownsthemobilefunction,

33%haveanoptimizedmobilesite.InorganizationsinwhichITownsthemobilefunction,28%havean

optimizedversionoftheirsite.Thisfindingmayindicatethatmarketingandcommunicationsaremore

concernedaboutimprovingtheirorganizationsmobilevisitorexperienceorthatIThaslessabilityor

budgettomakesuchchanges.

Ifyourorganizationhasanoptimizedmobilesite,whichfeaturesdoesitoffer?

The66respondentswhoreportedhavingoptimizedwebsitesweregivenalistofeightfeaturesand

askedtoindicatewhichwereofferedontheirmobilesites(Exhibit4).Eightypercent(80%)of

respondentswith

amobile

site

offer

aFind

aDoctor

search

feature

on

their

site.

OrganizationsinwhichITownsthemobilefunctionweremorelikelytointegrateoperationalmodules

(e.g.,BillPay,CalendarofEvents,AppointmentRequest,ERWaitTimes,Preregistration)intotheir

mobilesites.Wheremarketingownsthemobilefunction,consumer andproviderorientedfeatures,

suchasFindaDoctor,electronichealthrecord(EHR)Access,andatoolforreferringphysicians,were

moreprevalent.Surprisingly,noneoftheorganizationsinwhichITrunsthemobilefunctionofferedEHR

access.

Someadditionalfindings:

Morethan25%oforganizationswithmobilesiteshadanAppointmentRequestfeature. Slightlyfewerthan25%oforganizationsofferedatooltoallowreferringphysicianstoreferinto

thehospitalviathemobilesite.

12%providedaccesstothepatientsEHR.


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Exhibit4.PrevalenceofSelectedMobileWebsiteFeatures[N=51]

Whichfeaturesofamobilesitearemostandleastimportanttopatients?

AsshowninExhibit5,Directions,withanaverageratingof9.1ona10pointscale,wasratedthemost

usefulmobilefeatureforpatients,followedcloselybyFindaDoctor,withanaverageratingof8.5.

ContactUsandAppointmentRequestcameinat8.4and8.2,respectively.Afterthesefeatures,there

wasasignificant

drop

off

in

average

rating.

Pre

registration

was

given

an

average

rating

of

7,

and

Bill

Payreceiveda6.8.OtheroptionsreceivinglowusefulnessratingsincludedCalendarofEvents,at6.6;

SymptomChecker,at6.4;andPrescriptionRegimen,at6.3.

EventhoughERWaitTimeswasoneofthemorepopularfeaturesonhospitalmobilewebsites(more

than25%deployedthisfeature),ithadthelowestaverageusefulnessrating(6).Similarly,41%of

organizationshavedeployedaCalendarofEventsdespiteconsensusthatitisoneoftheleastimportant

optionsinamobilesite.Asthemobilemarketcontinuestomatureandmoreresearchisconductedinto

whatiseffective,wemayseenewmobilesitesdevelopingdifferently.


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Exhibit5.UsefulnesstoPatientsofSelectedMobileWebsiteFeatures[N=211]

(1=notatalluseful,10=veryuseful)

AsshowninExhibit6,respondentswhosemobilesiteswereownedbythecommunications/public

relationsfunctionratedalmostallofthefunctionalityhigherthandidtheircounterpartsinmarketingor

ITatotherorganizations.Wecomparedthethreetopownerswithorganizationsthatdonothavea

mobilepresence(lastcolumn)andfoundthatallfourhavesimilarviewsoffunctionalityusefulness.

ERWait

Times,

Prescription

Regimen,

and

Symptom

Checks

were

not

highly

favored

in

organizations

in

whichmarketingownsthemobilefunction.AlmosteveryoneagreedthatDirectionsareanimportant

mobilesitefeature,buttherewaslessconsensusontheContactUsfunctionality.

Therewasafullpointdifferenceintheaverageusefulnessratingbetweenthetopfourfeatures

(Directions,FindaDoctor,ContactUs,andAppointmentRequest)andtheremainingsix.


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Exhibit6.UsefulnesstoPatientsofMobileWebsiteFeatures,byDepartmentOwningtheSite

[N=152]

(1=notatalluseful;10=veryuseful)

Marketing

IT

Communications/PR

No

Mobile

Here

ERWaitTimes 5.68 6.50 6.84 6.07

FindaDoctor 8.76 8.45 8.78 8.51

CalendarofEvents 6.67 7.00 7.00 6.69

AppointmentRequest 7.99 8.17 8.73 8.22

Directions 9.05 9.07 9.60 9.07

ContactUs 8.34 8.23 9.56 8.16

Preregistration 6.65 7.54 7.40 7.27

BillPay 6.46 7.07 7.50 7.18

PrescriptionRegimen 5.80 6.57 7.29 6.21

SymptomChecks 5.98 7.29 6.54 6.43

BudgetforMobileTechnologyAs

shown

in

Exhibit

7,

38%

of

organizations

that

are

currently

in

the

mobile

space

do

not

have

adedicated2012budgetformobiletechnology.Attheotherendofthespectrum,morethan10%havea

budgetof$50,000ormorededicatedtomobileinitiatives.Overonequarterhaveabudgetranging

from$1,000to$10,000,and22%haveabudgetrangingfrom$10,000to$50,000.Twelvepercent(12%)

ofrespondentsdidnotknowiftheirorganizationhasa2012budgetallocationformobile.Several

respondentsnotedthatdespitenothavingaspecificbudgetformobiledevelopment,theycouldpull

fundsfromthegeneralmarketingbudgettopayformobileinitiatives.


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Exhibit7.BudgetforMobileTechnology[N=179]

Almost3%ofrespondentshaveallocatedmorethan$100,000tomobilein2012.Thisgroupconsisted

oflargehealthsystemswithhospitalsinmultiplestatesandtheirowndedicatedwebteamsor

interactive/digitalmarketinggroups.

Organizationsinwhichmarketingownsthemobilefunctionhaveahighermobilebudgetonaverage

thanthoseinwhichITorcommunications/publicrelationsownsthemobilefunction.

MobileApplicationsHasyourorganizationdeployedamobileapplicationinthepastyear?Ifyes,onwhichplatformdid

youdeployit?

Sixtyonepercent(61%)ofrespondentshavenotdeployedamobileapplication(app)inthepastyear,

34%have,and6%werenotsure.OrganizationsinwhichITmanagesthemobilefunctionweremore

likely(44%)tohavedevelopedamobileappinthepastyear,comparedwith30%oforganizationsin

whichmarketingleadsthemobilefunction.Only2%oforganizationsinwhichcommunications/public

relationshandles

mobile

deployed

an

app

in

2011.


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AsshowninExhibit8,the70organizationsthathavedeployedmobileappsspentmostoftheirtime

developingthemfortheAppleiOSplatform(77%),followedbytheAndroidplatform(57%).BlackBerry,

at31%,wastheonlyotherplatformtoshowsignificantdeployment,withWindowsappsbeingdeployed

byonly16%.TheresponsespointtoasignificantamountofjointdevelopmentbetweentheAndroid

andAppleiOSplatforms.Themoreprogressiveorganizationsdevelopedformultipleplatforms,

including

BlackBerry

and

Windows.

One

organization

developed

an

app

for

the

Symbian

operating

system.

Exhibit8.PlatformsonWhichMobileAppsDeployed[N=61]

Whichtoolsdidyourorganizationdeployasmobileapps?

Manyofthetools/optionsdeployedasmobileappsweresimilartofeaturesofferedonmobilewebsites

(Exhibit9).FindaDoctorwasthemostpopulartoolinamobileapp,deployedby60%ofresponding

organizations.Hospitalsappeartohavedevelopedfewmobileappsforwellness,healthtracking,or

EHRs.

Theonlytoolsrequiringanappthatwerelistedinthesurveyinstrumentorvolunteeredbyrespondents

wereGPS(globalpositioningsystem)DirectionsandWayfinding,whichcanonlybebuiltinanappand

cannotbereplicatedbyamobilesite.Fortysixpercent(46%)ofrespondentshavedeployedGPSintheir

mobileapps.

ER

Wait

Times

and

Appointment

Request

showed

similar

levels

of

usage,

at

29%

and

21%,

respectively.OneorganizationdeployedEHRaccessviaanapp,andseveralalsodeployedaSymptom

Checkertool.


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Exhibit9.PrevalenceofSelectedMobileApps[N=48]

Hasyourorganizationintegratedpushnotificationsintoitsmobileapps?

Only7%oforganizationshaveintegratedpushnotificationsmessagessenttouserswhohaveoptedin

toreceivethemintotheirmobileapps.Thisisnotsurprisinggiventhatonly70havebuiltmobileapps.

Nearly30%saidtheyareplanningtodoso,and18%didnotknowwhatapushnotificationis.

Willyourorganizationdeployamobileappinthenext12months?

Askedwhether

their

organizations

would

deploy

amobile

app

in

the

next

12

months,

45%

were

planningtodoso,and43%wereunsure.Only12%saidno.

Acrosstheboard,52%oforganizationsinwhichITmanagesthemobilefunctionarehopingtolauncha

mobileappinthenext12months,comparedwith48%formarketingand37%for

communications/publicrelations.

Ifyes,onwhichplatformwillyoubedevelopingthemobileapp?

Ofthe93respondentswhosaidtheywereplanningtodeployanappduringthenext12months,32%

indicatedtheyplantodeployintheWindowsenvironment,upfromthecurrent16%ofWindowsapps

deployments.Bycontrast,thenumberoforganizationsplanningtodeployappsintheAppleiOSand

Androidenvironments73%

and

49%,

respectivelyis

down

slightly

from

current

deployments

(77%

forAppleiOS,57%forAndroid).

Trendingwithitsdecreasingpopularityincorporateenvironments,BlackBerryfellfrom31%ofactual

deploymentsin2011to16%ofplanneddeploymentsin2012.Twentythreepercent(23%)of

respondentsdidnotknowtheplatformtheywouldusetocreateamobileappduringthenext12

months.

60.4%

45.8%

29.2%

20.8% 18.8% 18.8%

6.3% 6.3% 4.2%

Didyoudeployanyofthefollowingtoolsonyourmobileapplication?


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Howwouldyouratetheusefulnessofmobiletoolstopatients?

Weaskedrespondentstoratetheusefulnessoffourmobiletools:mobiledischargeinstructions,mobile

appointmentreminders,mobilemedicationreminders,andmobileoriPadpreregistrationforusein

waitingrooms.AsshowninExhibit10,mobileappointmentreminders,witharatingof7.8ona9point

scale,toppedthelist,followedcloselybymedicationreminders,at7.3.Mobiledischargeinstructions,

with

an

average

usefulness

rating

of

6.1,

were

not

considered

particularly

useful

for

patients

with

mobiledevices.

Exhibit10.UsefulnesstoPatientsofSelectedMobileTools[N=196]

(1=notatalluseful,9=veryuseful)

Responsesshowthatmobileappointmentremindersattractedthemostinterest,whilemobile

dischargeinstructionsreceivedtheleast.

ApplicationsforTabletsHasyourorganizationdevelopedanyappsspecificallyfortablets?Ifnot,doesitplantodosowithin

thenext12months?

Thevastmajority(87%)oforganizationsrespondingtothesurveyhavenotdevelopedappsfortablets

(e.g.,iPad,GalaxyTab).Theremainderwassplit;5%havedoneso,and8%wereunsure.Thesmall

numberof

hospitals

that

are

building

tablet

apps

are

focusing

more

on

tools

for

physicians

than

for

patients,whileahandfularebuildingappsforbothaudiences.

Sixteenpercent(16%)ofrespondentswhoindicatedtheirorganizationsdidnotbuildatabletappinthe

past12monthssaytheyareplanningtodosointhenext12months.Fiftytwopercent(52%)are

unsure,and32%saytheywillnotbebuildingatabletappinthenext12months.


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MobileAdvertisingIsyourorganizationcurrentlyparticipatinginmobiledisplayadvertisingormobilepayperclick

advertising?]

Advertisingonmobileplatformshasnotyettakenoffinthehealthcarefield.Outof200responses,only

19%(38respondents)saytheirorganizationsareparticipatinginmobiledisplayadvertising,andonly

14%

(28

respondents)

are

participating

in

mobile

pay

per

click

advertising.

Some

respondents

were

not

surewhethertheirorganizationswereadvertisingonmobiledevices.Thisresponsemayillustrate

uncertaintyaswellasalackofawarenessofavailablemobileadvertisingopportunities.

OrganizationsinwhichITleadsthemobilefunctionwerethemostlikelytohaveconductedmobilepay

perclickordisplayadvertisingcampaigns.Organizationsinwhichmarketingleadsthemobilefunction

wereaclosesecond.Organizationsinwhichcommunications/publicrelationsrunsthemobilefunction

weretheleastlikelytohavemadetheirfirstforayintomobileadvertising.

QRCodesDoesyourorganizationuseQR(quickresponse)codesonitsprintmaterialsoronsignsonthehospital

campustodrivetraffictoyourwebsite?Ifso,howdoesyourorganizationusethem?

Outof

201

responses

to

this

question,

63%,

or

126

respondents

have

used

QR

codes

on

their

print

materials,32%(64respondents)havenot,andaround6%(11respondents)didnotknow.Thoseusing

QRcodeshaveusedtheminmagazineandnewspaperads(81%),followedbydirectmail(68%)and

patientbrochures(54%).SmallernumbersoforganizationsusedQRcodesinbrochuresforphysicians

(20%)andpublicplaceslikemallsandairports(19%).TheuseofQRcodesonbillboardsbarelyoutpaced

theiruseinhospitalwayfinding,6%to5%,respectively.

MeasuringReturnonInvestmentHowdoyouplantomeasureROIfromyourmobileandtabletinitiatives?Whatkeyperformance

indicatorswillyoubetracking?

AsshowninExhibit11,increasesinpatientvolume,mentionedby62%ofrespondents,arethemost

frequentway

organizations

plan

to

measure

the

success

of

their

mobile

advertising

initiatives.

Increases

inpatientreferralsandineventandclassregistrationweretiedat49%,followedcloselybyincreased

appointmentrequests(47%)andimprovedbrandrecognition(42%).Improvedaccesstomedical

recordsbarelyregistered,withonly3%ofrespondentssayingtheywoulduseEMRaccesstomeasure

thesuccessoftheirmobileinitiatives.Ninepercent(9%)ofrespondentswereunsurehowtheywould

measuremobileadvertisingsuccess.


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Exhibit11.PerformanceMetricsforMobileInitiatives[N=133]

Wealsonotedthatsomerespondentswillbemeasuringhowsatisfiedemployeesandpatientsarewith

thedeployedmobilesiteorapp.

WishListsIfmoneywerenotanoption,whatmobilestrategywouldyoudeploytomorrow?

Inresponsetothisopenendedquestion,severalrespondentstoldusabouttheirdreamsformobileat

theirorganizations(Exhibit12),including:

Bettermobilehealthrecordandpatientportalintegration,includingappointmentschedulingandreminders

Wayfindingdirectoryforuseoncethevisitorisoncampus MobileERandurgentcarecheckin Tabletsinthewaitingroomforpatientstofilloutpreregistrationpaperwork Easyphysicianportalaccess Mobiledischargeinstructions(Respondentsweredividedonthisstrategy;severalwouldliketo

havemobiledischargeinstructions,whileothersdidnotbelievetheywouldbethatuseful.)


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Exhibit12.MostFrequentlyMentionedWordsandPhrasesinResponsetoQuestionaboutFuturePlans[N=112]

AboutMedTouchForthepastsevenyears,MedTouchhasfocusedexclusivelyonhelpinghealthcareorganizations

succeedonline.Bycombininginteractivemarketingstrategywithcreativeandtechnicalexcellence,

MedTouchensuresitsclientsachievespecific,measurable,andmemorableresults.Thoseclientsinclude

dozensofnationallyrankedacademicmedicalcenters,communityhospitals,rehabilitationfacilities,

healthplans,andhealthcarerelatednotforprofitsinmorethan20states.Fromconsumerfocused

websitestopatientcentricsocialmediaandmobilechannels,onlinephysicianrecruitmentprogramsto

resultsdrivensearchmarketing,CRMintegrationtoenhancingpatientportals,MedTouchmakes

healthcareinteractive.Formoreinformation,visitmedtouch.com.

AbouttheSocietyforHealthcareStrategyandMarketDevelopmentThe

Society

for

Healthcare

Strategy

and

Market

Development

is

the

premier

organization

for

healthcare

planners,marketers,andcommunicationsandpublicrelationsprofessionals.Apersonalmembershipgroupof

theAmericanHospitalAssociation,SHSMDservesmorethan4,000membersandisthelargestorganizationin

thenationdevotedtoservingtheneedsofhealthcarestrategyprofessionals.TheSocietyiscommittedto

helpingitsmembersmeetthefuturewithgreaterknowledgeandopportunityastheirorganizationsworkto

improvehealthstatusandqualityoflifeintheircommunities.Formoreinformation,visitshsmd.org.

2012MedTouch

Cambridge,MA|Houston,TX|CedarRapids,IA|WallaWalla,WA

866MDTOUCH|8666386824

www.medtouch.com

[email protected]

twitter:@medtouch

Documents

Hospital Use of Mobile Technology - A MedTouch Bench Marking Study(1)