Why Mobile Health Must Be a Priority

Mobile has drastically changed the way we shop, travel, pay our bills and even pay each other. But there’s one area of our lives that it hasn’t changed enough: the way we manage our health. Mobile-focused health represents one of the biggest challenges – and opportunities – facing the healthcare industry. As more consumers connect their homes and lives across devices, particularly their phones, healthcare professionals must harness mobile health technologies and move toward a complete, mobile-optimized user experience. While most insurers already offer mobile apps, they often fail to create an experience that is both functional and intuitive. As our 2016 Digital Healthcare Survey revealed, digital health resources have been embraced by Americans of all ages, especially by younger Americans, with 82% of Gen Y and 67% of Gen X having accessed at least one digital health resource in the past 12 months. Of the digital resources offered by health insurers, mobile apps have the greatest potential to enhance Gen Y and Gen X member understanding and autonomy, but awareness of the apps and their functionality is low. Many Gen Y and Gen X members consider mobile access to their insurance a key resource, but only one-third (32%) are actually aware of whether their insurer even offers a mobile app. This represents a significant missed opportunity, for insurers and consumers alike. See also: A Road Map for Health Insurance   Fortunately for insurers, creating a mobile app doesn’t need to be overly complicated. The fundamental function of a health plan app is to provide members with access to the resources that are applicable to and useful for the mobile experience. However, many apps present far more than this – plan information, including balances, claims data and ID card information as well as coverage and benefits rates for health services, profile and account management options and customer service centers. For most customers, mobile apps don’t need all the resources and attributes of full sites – customers just want a mobile health experience that is intuitive, functional and fits in with their daily routine. So, what functionalities should insurers be looking to include in their latest mobile app versions? Take a page from financial apps, such as PayPal and Venmo, and offer a way for consumers to pay with ease. Incorporating payment features for claims and premiums, as well as push notifications alerting members to coming bills, would likely lead to more timely payments. UnitedHealthcare is one of the few providers that allow members to pay for a claim on its app directly by entering bank account information and then pre-filling most other important information, such as amount and payment recipient. Create visual representations, such as charts, graphs and progress meters, to help consumers better understand aspects of their plans like deductibles and coinsurance. Presenting plan balances and claims data not only improves the aesthetics of a page, but also provides members with a summary of data that may be easier to process. For example, rather than displaying how much of the plan’s deductible and out-of-pocket maximum the member has met, has remaining and has in total within a list format, use an interactive chart or graph to provide expedient summaries of data without sacrificing any detail – a particularly important feature on a mobile app given the limited space. Integrate health data from wearables to mobile apps (and vice versa) to encourage consumers to exercise regularly or eat healthy. Health assessments and connecting fitness apps to track movement are the most commonly rewarded activities, currently recognized by a majority of insurance platforms. Some insurers, such as UnitedHealthcare and Humana, are ahead of the curve, offering separate health and wellness reward program apps that employ push notifications to remind members to keep up with goals, such as “remember to get between seven and eight hours of sleep tonight" and "you have 2,000 more steps until you reach your goal for today.” See also: A Road Map for Health Insurance   While the healthcare industry overall still has a long way to go, digital health companies and startups have leveraged advancements in technology to enhance the mobile health experience for consumers. As functionality continues to improve and usage increases among younger members, the need for effective member support will become critical. Insurers should take note and make mobile health a priority – including functionalities and resources to help members better manage their health. We’ll all be better off as a result.