What virtual healthcare reveals about online user experiences
Telehealth boomed in the early 2020s — but as patients look to the future, providers need to work out kinks in the user experience, says Ipsos’ Janet Creaser.
The accessibility, flexibility, and convenience of telehealth has made it a fast-growing field, from video chat-based therapy to virtual urgent care.
But if the drawbacks and frustrations of online services and platforms go unaddressed, then these platforms’ potential will be limited, in healthcare and beyond.
In the early days of the pandemic, telehealth had to work, so it did. In time, virtual care became many Americans’ preferred way to seek care, improving and expanding perceptions of all sorts of online services. But today, patients have a plethora of digital platforms to choose from, and the option of in-person visits — which all amount to higher expectations for online experiences.
Of course, this goes beyond medicine. More of Americans’ lives are taking place online, from seeking care to shopping and socializing. In many cases, the only way people will interact with a brand is through a screen — or even through AI-powered triage chatbots. That means functional, accessible UX isn’t just a “nice to have,” but critical.
By simplifying web interfaces and addressing users’ frustrations, healthcare providers and brands in other industries can make their online offerings more useful and boost brand affinity.
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