Optimizing telehealth technology execution, DIGITAL The aforementioned consumer affinity for mobile apps as a tool guiding patients through the telehealth process for maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps lay the foundation for the to ensure they are comfortable, and expanding THERAPEUTICS emerging field of digital therapeutics. As consumers look to gain telehealth offerings beyond consultative more control over their health, these clinically proven therapies appointments can help propel this delivery model can afford patients more effective treatments for better outcomes. forward. Virtual visits may not provide patients with Comparatively, consumer willingness to use digital therapeutics the maximum service benefit depending on the has grown, as 17 percent more global patients were open to this appointment type (for example, physical therapy), form of therapy in 2021 than in 2020. Inversely, key indicators thus healthcare organizations must determine that would inhibit patients from using this digital delivery remained how to best use telehealth in a more strategic statistically unchanged between 2021 and 2020, with the issue omnichannel approach to care. of affordability declining by 42 percent (see Figure 13). One important metric is patients’ unwillingness to discuss their mental LEARN MORE health concerns with others, which also decreased from 2020. This bodes well, as healthcare stakeholders must help to dispel the societal stigma that patients often feel around speaking publicly about their mental health. Although 84 percent of patients expressed 2020 2021 % change some level of satisfaction with their telehealth experiences (see Figure 12), there is room for improvement. Investments in telehealth grew 169 Can only pay in cash/don’t have a credit card 6% 6% 0% percent year over year in the second quarter of 5 2021 alone, according to CB Insights . Concerned with cost/affordability 19% 11% -42% Don’t have any issues that require this form of therapy 28% 16% -43% Don’t have insurance 7% 7% 0% Don’t have the technology needed to use it 10% 10% 0% Don’t want another login/password to remember 18% 19% 6% Prefer not to discuss their mental health with others 14% 12% -14% Too difficult to log on 10% 8% -20% Highly Somewhat Neutral Somewhat Highly Would rather communicate with someone in person 51% 50% -2% satisfied satisfied unsatisfied unsatisfied Figure 12. Patient Satisfaction Rating of Telehealth Experiences. Figure 13. Year-over-Year Comparison of Factors That Inhibit Patients from Using Patients rate the degree to which they are satisfied with their collective Digital Therapeutics. Patients reveal the reasons why they would not use digital telehealth engagements. therapeutics, with a year-over-year comparison between 2020 and 2021 showing declines for the majority of stated factors. 20 21