Implementing digital health solutions
It’s been said the pandemic is the tipping point for digital health. What should employers look out for when considering or implementing digital health solutions?
As the pandemic continues to impact lives and well-being, organizations around the world strive to deliver benefits in a traditionally pen and paper world through digital channels to employees. In Singapore, where working from home continues to be the default option for many, we saw adoption of digital services like Telehealth increase 32 times in 2020.
In Mercer Marsh Benefits’ 2020 Health on Demand study that surveyed 13 markets and more than 16,500 employees, we found that digital solutions which improve access and can deliver needed health services more efficiently and affordably are attractive to employees. One in three employees in Singapore say they would be less likely to move elsewhere for work if their employer offered digital health solutions. Health benefits, coupled with other compensation packages offered by organizations have the ability to influence employment decisions.
When considering and choosing the right digital health solutions, we advise companies to take note of the following:
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Data security and personal data protection
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User experience - an intuitive and engaging platform ensures that utilization does not taper off
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Understanding population and demographics of their companies such that they can ascertain the right digital tools to introduce; and the way to launch or communicate.
Employees can typically be clustered into four distinct segments based upon their attitudes toward health innovations, confidence in digital health solutions sponsored by employers, and their likelihood of staying with an employer offering these solutions. For example, a high proportion of tech skeptics will then require more dialogue to increase their confidence in employer-offered solutions.
More details available in Singapore Mercer Health on Demand report 2020
Based on our research, the health industry continues to evolve and change. Corporate investment in employee health and well-being is set to grow over the next five years and digital health solutions will play a critical role. In the quest to hire the best talent, digital solutions might just be the differentiator to ensure that you attract the best people and achieve better health outcomes for them.