Health and wellness research addresses consumer demand for virtual healthcare and emerging business models

Parks Associates’ latest consumer research finds 82% of US broadband households with children in the home have used telehealth, as opposed to just 51% of households without children. The firm’s quarterly surveys of 10,000 broadband households quantify the impact of the pandemic on consumer attitudes, usage, and adoption of connected devices and services, revealing key insights its analysts will discuss today at “Connecting the Dots: Interoperability and Health Data,” 12:30 pm CT. This session, the final event for this year’s Connected Health Summit series, features executives from athenahealth and the US Department of Health and Human Services, among others.

“The pandemic has forever changed the trajectory of health and wellness. The industry is undergoing a shift as consumers, especially seniors, have become accustomed to using new technologies for healthcare services and communication,” said Kristen Hanich, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “Out of necessity, the market for remote health technology products and services accelerated 5-10 years beyond where we expected it to be pre-pandemic.”

Virtual Care – Connected Health Devices and Services shows use of telehealth services increased from 15% of US broadband households in Q2 2019 to 64% in 2021. The research provides trending data on consumer familiarity, use, and demand for telehealth services, including the user experience with telehealth services and consumer appetite for virtual care as a standard offering, outside of crisis conditions.

• As of April 2021, two-thirds of respondents are familiar with telehealth services as compared to just 50% in May of 2020.
• Children are a key driver of use—82% of respondents with children in the home have used telehealth as opposed to just 51% of households without children.

Fresh Air: Air Quality and Comfort in the Smart Home reports one-fifth of consumers own at least one smart climate-control device and 20% of consumers are highly concerned about air quality. This consumer study quantifies consumer concerns, perceptions of product value by use cases, device and system ownership, and purchase intentions. The research also examines the different services to increase air quality and comfort, such as system maintenance analytics, 24/7 monitoring, and replenishment services.

• 30% of US broadband households have experienced allergies, and 14% of US broadband households have experienced asthma.
• Smart thermostat owners are approximately four times more likely to own other smart climate-control devices than non-owners.

Healthy and Well at Home: Senior Assistive Technology quantifies the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on seniors and family caregivers, assessing concerns, pain points, and demand for technology products and services. This research identifies the top must-have features of independent living solutions and demand among end users and caregivers.

• As of 2021, 22% of US broadband households report either currently caring for a loved one or expecting to provide care in the next five years.
• Family caregivers are interested in purchasing home health technologies and communications solutions, and in arranging for home health aides and visiting nursing services.

To schedule an interview with an analyst or to request specific research data, please contact Rosey Ulpino at rosey@parksassociates.com, 972.996.0233.

About Parks Associates

Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com

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