Consumers want to interact with their healthcare provider online

According to Intuit's second annual Health Care Check-Up survey, Americans expect the same connectivity from their doctor's office as they do from their bank.

Almost three-quarters (73%) of Americans surveyed said they would use secure online environments via which to receive medical results, pay bills, and make appointments.

So important is this instant access, and ability to manage health-related activities, that nearly half of those surveyed would consider switching health practices for one that provided online services.

"Patient anxiety is rising," said Steve Malik, president and general manager of Intuit Health. "They want some measure of control, convenience and better communication with their doctor. Doctors who offer secure online solutions can meet this patient demand while increasing office efficiency and enhancing the doctor-patient relationship."

Additional findings from Intuit's study include:

- 81% would schedule their own appointment via a secure Internet service and fill out medical/registration forms online prior to their appointment.

- 78% would use a secure online method to access their medical histories and share information with their doctor.

- Younger generations expect online interaction - 59% of Gen Y respondents said they would switch doctors for one with better online access compared with only 29% of Baby Boomers.

Tags: health, online