2011  Mobile  Healthcare  Survey  

 
January  2011  
 
 
 
Cambridge,  MA  |  Houston,  TX  |  Cedar  Rapids,  IA  |  Walla  Walla,  WA  |  Amman,  Jordan  
 
866-­‐MD-­‐TOUCH  |  866-­‐638-­‐6824  
www.medtouch.com  
solutions@medtouch.com    
twitter:  @medtouch  
 
 
 
    
 
The  results  are  in  for  our  2011  Healthcare  Mobile  Survey  and  it  looks  promising  for  the  future  of  
mobile-­‐ready  healthcare  websites  and  mobile  advertising.  The  survey  shows  that  healthcare  
organizations  are  thinking  a  lot  about  the  mobile  web  in  2011  even  if  they  are  allocating  a  
relatively  tiny  amount  of  their  budget  to  creating  a  mobile  presence.  The  majority  of  
respondents  have  websites  that  can  be  viewed  from  a  mobile  device  and  those  organizations  
that  are  not  mobile-­‐accessible  are  planning  to  be  soon.  We  might  argue  that  being  accessible  is  
a  good  first  step  and  mobile  optimization  –  making  your  mobile  site  is  friendly  and  easy  to  use  –  
is  a  more  important  achievement,  which  requires  a  greater  investment  of  time  and,  frankly,  
dollars.  Based  on  industry  trends  outside  of  healthcare,  we  are  predicting  that  next  year’s  
results  will  detail  a  more  complex  picture  of  how  health  organizations  are  using  the  mobile  web  
but  nonetheless,  we  are  encouraged  by  the  strong  mindshare  mobile  is  enjoying  in  our  2011  
survey.    
 

Survey  Summary  
 
WHO  TOOK  THIS  SURVEY?  
 
MedTouch  surveyed  Healthcare  Organizations  –  mostly  hospital  and  health  plans  (75%  of  
respondents)  with  some  physicians  groups  and  healthcare-­‐ish  nonprofits  thrown  in  for  good  
measure.    The  exact  titles  of  respondents  were  as  follows:  
 
• 20%  Marketing  Directors  
• 19%  Marketing  Managers  
• 14%  Web  Specialists  
• 12%  Executives  
• 6%  Webmasters  
• 29%  were  “other”  or  did  not  complete  this  question  

WHAT  ARE  PEOPLE  DOING  TODAY?  

 
59%  of  the  respondent  organizations’  websites  are  accessible  from  a  mobile  device  such  as  a  smartphone  
–  iPhone,  Droid,  Blackberry,  etc.    What  do  we  mean  by  accessible?  The  website  looks  “okay”  on  such  a  
device.    Let’s  call  those  Level  I  mobile  sites.  
 
Unsurprisingly,  the  two  most  popular  features  are  Driving  Directions  (22%)  and  Find  a  Physician  (22%)  as  
these    Level  I  sites  are  about  making  content  more  widely  accessible,  even  to  folks  who  are  browsing  from  
their  palm-­‐top  rather  than  their  desktops.  
 
Of  the  41%  of  respondents  whose  websites  are  not  accessible  from  a  mobile  device:  
 
• 77%  considered  developing  a  website  that  is  mobile  accessible  
• 10%  had  not  researched  mobile  development  
• 13%  were  unsure  if  someone  else  in  their  organization  thought  about  it  

   

©  MedTouch  2011     2  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
WHAT  ARE  THE  INDUSTRY  PLANS  FOR  2011?  
 
Speaking  of  budgets,  51%  of  respondents  have  budget  allocated  to  mobile  technologies  for  2011  but  
these  budgets  are  mainly  to  make  new  versions  of  their  existing  websites  more  mobile-­‐friendly.      
 
39%  of  the  respondents  believe  mobile  tools  will  benefit  their  organizations  in  the  area  of  administrative  
tasks,  such  as  appointment  scheduling,  finding  doctors,  pre-­‐registration,  etc.  
 
32%  of  all  respondents  are  planning  to  develop  a  dedicated  mobile  site  in  2011.  Dedicated  mobile  sites  –  
let’s  call  these  Level  2  mobile  sites  –  offer  the  opportunity  to  improve  the  user  experience  and  take  
advantage  of  the  form  factor  of  the  devices.    They  typically  involve  the  use  of  internal  phone  functions,  
such  as  GPS  software  on  the  devices.    Driving  directions,  on  a  Level  2  mobile  site,  would  now  include  turn-­‐
by-­‐turn  directions,  for  example.  
 
Despite  the  desire  to  move  their  sites  to  the  next  level,  these  are  going  to  be  cost-­‐effective  projects  –  
respondents  plan  on  spending  less  than  5%  of  their  marketing/IT  budget  on  mobile  technologies  in  2011.    
 
Only  17%  of  the  respondents  plan  to  start  mobile  advertising  in  2011  –  about  half  of  those    (9%  total)  plan  
to  do  so  in  the  next  six  months  –  suggesting  the  mobile  advertising  market  for  healthcare  remains  largely  
unproven,  untapped,  or  both.  
 
WHY  NOT  INVEST  IN  MOBILE  IN  2011?  
 
The  most  common  reason  for  not  planning  for  a  mobile  website  or  mobile  application  is  that  respondents  
do  not  know  enough  about  the  technology.    “Inability  to  convince  upper-­‐level  management”  is  not  a  
factor  in  respondent  organizations’  decisions  to  not  utilize  mobile  technology  and  advertising.  Not  a  factor  
at  all.    As  in,  0%.  
 
Mostly,  it  seems,  mobile  investments  are  a  matter  of  timing.    44%  of  respondents  were  unsure  when  they  
would  start  advertising  on  mobile  platforms  and  almost  a  quarter  of  the  respondents  were  not  familiar  
enough  with  mobile  advertising  to  consider  it  as  part  of  their  advertising  strategy  in  2011.    
 
If  education  is  the  only  thing  holding  you  back,  please  be  in  touch  with  us.    We’d  be  very  happy  to  help  
customize  this  survey  into  a  presentation  that  would  help  educate  your  organization  on  the  opportunity  
for  mobile  sites  this  year.  
 
Please  contact  us  at  solutions@medtouch.com  for  any  questions,  ideas,  or  opportunities.  

©  MedTouch  2011     3  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
 
What  type  of  organization  do  you  represent?  

17%  
Hospital  

44%   Health  Plan  

Physician  Group  

29%   Health  System  

Other  

4%   6%  

 
 
 
 
How  many  employees  does  your  organization  have?  
 

3%  
13%  

0-­‐250  

11%   250-­‐500  

500-­‐750  

750-­‐1000  
7%  
>1000  
62%   4%  
Other  

 
 
 
 
 
©  MedTouch  2011     4  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
 
What  is  your  role  in  the  organization?  
30%  

25%  

20%  

15%  

10%  

5%  

0%  

 
 
 
Is  your  website  accessible  from  a  smartphone?  

8%  

Yes  
33%  
No  
59%  
Don't  know  

 
 
 
 
©  MedTouch  2011     5  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
If  no,  have  you  considered  developing  a  website  that  is  accessible  from  a  
smartphone?  

13%  

10%  
Yes  

No  

Don't  know  

77%  

 
 
 
What  plans  does  your  organization  have  for  developing  a  mobile  website  or  
a  mobile  application?  
45%  
40%  
35%  
30%  
25%  
20%  
15%  
10%  
5%  
0%  
My  organizapon   In  the  planning   Currently   No  plans  to   Haven't  thought  
already  has  a   phase  (i.e.  budget   researching  the   develop  a  mobile   about  it  
mobile  website   allocated  or   subject   website  and/or  
and/or  mobile   acceppng   mobile  applicapon  
applicapon   proposals)  
 
©  MedTouch  2011     6  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
If  no  plans,  why?  
 
0%  

12%  

No  budget  allocated  
38%  
Don't  know  much  about  it  

Can't  see  a  benefit  for  

organizapon  

50%   Can't  convince  upper-­‐level  

management  

 
 
 
Does  your  website  have  any  of  the  following  features  for  patients  to  
interact  with  the  hospital  and/or  physicians?  
 

6%   4%  
9%  
Emergency  room  wait  pmes  
22%   Find  a  Doctor  
9%   Schedule/cancel  appointments  
Direcpons  
Contact  Form  
7%   Wayfinding  
18%  
None  of  these  
Other  
25%  

 
©  MedTouch  2011     7  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
 
Other  Features:  
 
• Quick  facts  
• Symptom  checker  
• Link  to  Newsblog  
• Create  a  referral  
• Content  to  surgeons  from  our  website  
• Patient  navigation    
• Pharmacy  
• Prescriptions  
• Health  monitoring  
• Online  risk  assessments  

 
What  type  of  new  mobile  tools  do  you  feel  will  benefit  your  organization?  
45%  
40%  
35%  
30%  
25%  
20%  
15%  
10%  
5%  
0%  
Tools  for   Tools  for  papents   Tools  for   Dont  feel  that  new   Other  
administrapve   to  monitor  their   physicians  to   mobile  tools  will  
tasks   own  health   monitor  papents   benefit  the  
(appointment   health   organizapon  at  this  
scheduling,  finding   pme  
doctors,  pre-­‐
registrapon,  
direcpons,  etc.)  
 
 
Other  Tools:  
 
• A  patient  portal  application  
• Urgent  care  wait  times  
• Emergency  alerts  
• Better  content  delivery  to  surgeons  
• Locations  

©  MedTouch  2011     8  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 
• Application  to  facilitate  referrals  

 
What  percentage  of  next  year’s  marketing/IT  budget  will  be  allocated  to  
mobile  technologies?  
60%  

50%  

40%  

30%  

20%  

10%  

0%  
Nothing  is   <5%   5%-­‐10%   10%-­‐20%   20%-­‐30%   >30%  
allocated  at  this  
pme  
 
 
 
 
Has  your  organization  considered  mobile  advertising?  

©  MedTouch  2011     9  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 

24%   Yes  
31%  

We  currently  do  mobile  

adverpsing  

4%   No,  we  don't  have  budget  

allocated  to  mobile  adverpsing  

No,  we  don't  find  any  benefit  to  

8%   mobile  adverpsing  

No,  we  don't  know  much  about  

33%   mobile  adverpsing  

 
 
 
If  yes,  what  is  your  budget  for  mobile  ad  spending  this  year?  
80%  
70%  
60%  
50%  
40%  
30%  
20%  
10%  
0%  

 
 
 
 
If  no,  when  do  you  plan  on  doing  mobile  advertising?  

©  MedTouch  2011     10  |  P a g e  
 
 
    
 

3%   9%  
Next  six  months  

24%  
Next  year  
17%  

Next  three  years  

3%   Unsure  at  this  pme  

Spll  learning  about  the  

technology  

44%   What's  mobile  adverpsing?  

 
 
About  MedTouch  
MedTouch  helps  healthcare  organizations  succeed  online.  By  marrying  interactive  marketing  
strategy  with  creative  and  technical  excellence,  MedTouch  ensures  its  clients  achieve  specific  
and  measurable  results.  Those  clients  include  dozens  of  nationally-­‐ranked  academic  medical  
centers,  community  hospitals,  rehabilitation  facilities,  health  plans,  and  healthcare-­‐related  not-­‐
for-­‐profits  in  over  twenty  states.  From  consumer-­‐focused  websites  to  patient-­‐centric  social  
media  channels,  online  physician  recruitment  programs  to  results-­‐driven  search  marketing,  
MedTouch  makes  healthcare  interactive.  
 
For  more  information  visit  medtouch.com,  call  866-­‐MD-­‐TOUCH  (866-­‐638-­‐6824),  follow  us  on  
Twitter  @MedTouch,  or  email  solutions@medtouch.com  
 
 
 
 

©  MedTouch  2011     11  |  P a g e