Michael Levin: Deloitte Survey of Health Consumers Offers Insights for Integrative Medicine

Summary:  Integrator columnist Michael Levin shares intriguing outcomes of a healthcare survey from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. The authors examine opinions and practices of over 3000 citizens, identifying use of alternative healthcare services as a key identifier of behavior across a series of consumer types. The six types range from "content and compliant" to "out and about" (the most significant alt-med users) to "shop and save." Current complementary medicine use represents a fraction of the openness expressed by consumers.  Paul Keckley, PhD, co-author and director of the Center was formerly the head of integrative medicine planning for Vanderbilt University. Levin is correct: there is much here to ponder about integrative care and the changing nature of the healthcare consumer.

Michael Levin, Health Business Strategies

A quick review of Deloitte’s fascinating 2008 (Survey of Health Care Consumers reveals these interesting statistics:

• 40% of the population surveyed are open to using an alternative treatment approach
• 38% are open to using alternative providers
  
• 32% might use an alternative therapy as a substitute for a prescription drug
• 2 in 3 are interested in participating in a wellness program to improve their health and/or save money, and
  
• 1 in 4 say they would pay more.

In the introduction, Deloitte's authors write that "the conceptual framework upon which this research is built reflects what we consider to be the five major domains of health care consumer activity: use of traditional health services from medical, professionals and hospitals; use of alternative and non-conventional approaches to care; self-directed care; information seeking and financing." The authors define six segments of health care consumers and their characteristics, as noted in the table.

Segment		Percent		Characteristics
Content and Compliant		29%		Generally disengaged, satisfied, and wealthier
Sick and Savvy		24%		Includes the highest percentage of consumers having one or more health conditions (52%). Mean age: 49.
Online and Onboard		8%		High users, receptive to non-conventional interventions, self-empowering users of online tools and information.
Out and About		9%		Uses alternative approaches to treatment, consults alternative health care practitioners, and substitutes alternative or natural therapies for prescription medications more than other segments. 64% female.
Shop and Save		2%		Price-sensitive consumers of traditional medicine. Will travel outside of community for healthcare.
Casual and Cautious		28%		Healthiest segment, younger, least-insured group.

This executive report, based on a nationally representative sample of 3,031 adults using a web-based questionnaire (1.8% margin of error at the .95 confidence level) provides fresh new insights into healthcare consumers. For those developing and deploying new products and services, this is a must read. A PDF file of the 24 page executive summary is available here.

Michael D. Levin, Founder
Health Business Strategies
12042 SE Sunnyside Road
Clackamas, OR  97015
503-753-3568 (direct)
503-698-7565 (fax)

Co-author Paul keckley, PhD, former IM leader at Vanderbilt

• 20% used an alternative approach to treatment (40% are open to it)
• 12% consulted an alternative provider (38% are open to it)
• 9% substituted an alternative therapy for a prescription medication (32% are open to it)

• 14% delayed a recommended treatment
• 13% decided not to pursue a course of care altogether
• 30% questioned their
• physician about a treatment recommendation