Survey reveals limited access to continuous care, patient data

A recent report identified potential gaps in care among younger generations and barriers to patient data, both of which can lead to suboptimal health outcomes, an expert said.

The report assessed health care access, utilization and affordability among 2,446 survey respondents, including 545 aged 18 to 24 years (Generation Z), 641 aged 25 to 40 years (millennials), 630 aged 41 to 56 years (Generation X) and 630 aged 57 to 74 years old (baby boomers).

Access to care

According to the report, 40% of Generation Zers said they see a physician either “less than once a year” or “never or rarely” compared with 31% of millennials, 25% of Generation Xers and 14% of baby boomers.

Alexander Kowalski, DO, a Healio Primary Care Peer Perspective Board member and medical director of Rowan Family Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey, said the survey findings were “very concerning.”

“Many Generation Z patients are receiving health care via urgent care or minute clinic type services, which have their place and serve a good role for single events, acute issues and episodic care,” Kowalski said. “However, many times these places do not allow for the continuous relationship that more significant or chronic issues need to be managed properly. Therefore, it is best for individuals in the Generation Z population to have an established relationship with a physician.”

He encouraged physicians to consider solutions to foster relationships with younger patients.

“We need to ask ourselves, ‘What am I doing in terms of marketing, outreach and accessibility with that generation?’” he said.

One potential barrier to continuous care is affordability, even among those with health insurance, according to the report. Overall, 35% of survey respondents who had health insurance said a lack of money kept them from living a healthier life.

Access to patient data

In addition to potential barriers to care, the report also revealed difficulties in obtaining personal health care information. Of all those surveyed, 42% said their current medical data were “easily accessible,” and only 30% said their historical records were “easily accessible.”

Kowalski said that limited data access could be detrimental to patients.

“If a patient of mine is discharged from a hospital and schedules a follow-up visit with me, sometimes I do not even know the kind of issues that we're dealing with. This leads to a lot of over-testing, potential treatment and medication errors as well as patients not adhering to clinical recommendations from different specialists,” he said. “We need to ensure that relevant health care entities and professionals are not restricted access to patient data.”

Although Kowalski was encouraged by the development of new technologies such as smartphones and apps that can be used to track patient data and share it with physicians, he said that better solutions are needed.

“Even though it is 2021, most health care systems are not designed to hold the volume of data that some of these devices gather, such as continuous heart rate or continuous blood pressure monitoring,” he said. “Physicians need to be involved in the development of these devices to ensure that the data they glean is accessible and actionable.”

References:

Nearly half of Gen Zers visit a primary care doctor less than once a year. (Link here.] Published Oct. 26, 2021. Accessed Nov. 29, 2021.

R/GA. Future of health care experiences. https://www.rga.com/futurevision/reports/rga-future-of-health-experiences. Published Oct. 26, 2021. Accessed Nov. 29, 2021.