By Michael Cox
Redwood EBS
SO, as the New Year descends upon us, what will health care look like the next 50 years?
Well, one of the certainties, is the that health care professionals will be available, via mobile remote internet connections, provide services to millions of people who were previously underserved.
The embryonic form of care is already with us, with Virtual GP applications proving both very popular with businesses as a way to ensure their staff have access to quick, responsive and appropriate diagnosis of routine medical conditions and repeat prescriptions.
The Virtual GP usage is not restricted to tech savvy Millennials – in fact Generation X – (35 to 54 year olds) showed the following preferences:
· 66 per cent would be open to virtual care treatment options as an alternative to GP surgery visits for non-urgent matters (two per cent more than millennials)
· 53 per cent would choose a primary care doctor who offers virtual care treatment options over one who does not (one per cent more than millennials)
Baby Boomers (55 years plus) are in on the action as well!
· 57 per cent would be open to virtual care treatment options as an alternative to in-office doctor’s visits for non-urgent matters (seven per cent less than millennials)
· 51 per cent would choose a primary care doctor who offers a patient app over one who does not (19 per cent less than millennials)
Such is the importance placed on these social preferences that AVIVA Healthcare (as just one example) now offer unlimited Virtual GP appointments for their company and corporate PMI (Private Medical Insurance) clients from 1 January 2019, allowing members to choose the gender and language of the GP and ensuring they are able to speak to the same GP, so that diagnosis and follow-up treatment is consistent.
Twenty five years ago nobody could send a test message – so this is the shape of Healthcare to come!
So the Virtual GP world has arrived, popular across the age spectrum, but more importantly offered as a crucial component of a company health and wellbeing proposition, designed for a working demographic that values convenience and availability rather than a potential two-week wait to see the traditional GP in practice.
At Redwood, we have the experience to help a business design a reactive, robust and dedicated health and wellbeing proposition, that incorporates the primary and secondary care that employees are so keen to see being offered as part of their benefit package, with average life expectancy now 79.2 for men and 82.9 for women, and employees wanting and often needing to work longer into their later years, offering them appropriate access to health care is a vital and challenging role for an employer, – so, let us help you make the right choices.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
For more details contact: Michael Cox – senior health and wellbeing advisor – Redwood Employee Benefits Services Ltd on 01604 661144 or email