In a study looking at mobile behavior over the last two years, The Patient’s Guide®, a leader in medical publishing online, reports that consumers using their iPhone to gather medical information has increased 94% from 2011 to 2012. The iPhone also topped the list of mobile devices used to seek medical information online with an overwhelming 41% of total mobile traffic for 2012. Based on these trends, Jasson Gilmore, CEO and Co-founder of The Patient’s Guide predicts, “By 2014 the iPhone will surpass the desktop as the primary device for health information.”
The Patient’s Guide’s, reviewed visitor behavior across 30 health-related websites, compiling aggregate data for mobile trends in locations throughout North America. Engagement behavior from over 12 million visitors over 2 years was evaluated to better understand consumer motivation and tendencies to determine results of the study.
“Knowing that mobile activity has grown significantly over the past three years, we have paid close attention to the trends and patterns shaping the way consumers behave in this space,” said Jasson W. Gilmore. “We have seen a sea change in the way consumers use mobile devices to research medical topics online. Physicians are now telling us it’s common to see a patient who’s reading questions from their iPhones. From that standpoint, I think it’s a good thing as patients become more empowered by mobile technology.”
Newport Beach resident, Tracy Jones, credits her iPhone with helping her remember which questions to ask her cosmetic doctor when considering a body contouring treatment. “There were 3 different treatments I was considering, all in the $2000 range. I felt I knew quite a bit about each, but I wanted to have specific questions ready, and having the website up on my phone during the consultation helped a lot.”
A number of factors may continue to influence this trend, including government regulations and insurance reimbursements, as well as the evolution of mobile computing devices such as the new iPad mini. Mr. Gilmore expects the trend to continue, “I would anticipate mobile devices become the top device consumers will use to research health information by the end of next year. As health providers and institutions evaluate cost-saving measures, I think broader adoption of such devices may help in this effort in the same way electronic medical records have.”
For further details on the data, please contact Brittney Roberts at Brittney@patientsguide.com.
About The Patient’s Guide
The Patient’s Guide’s mission is to provide the most accurate medical information to enable consumers to make educated decisions about aesthetic treatments. Each month over one million visitors trust The Patient’s Guide, a platform of niche beauty properties each dedicated to a specific condition or treatment. Visitors trust the information provided because the content is written by the field’s leading experts with over 150 years of collective dermatology experience. For more information, visit www.PatientsGuide.com.
