Health organizations offer online forms of care to increase accessibility
Implications - Many health organizations are offering online services to reach consumers who are unable or unwilling to seek in-person care. These services are both approachable and accessible, and serve as an introduction to other medical aids, especially in the arena of mental health. With younger generations being so digitally enmeshed, this shift signifies a natural evolution for the healthcare industry.
Workshop Question - How can you create a more accessible platform for your brand, as a way to engage more consumers?
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Health Services - The trend of offering online healthcare services is rapidly expanding as it increases accessibility for patients who cannot visit in-person health facilities. With mental health being a key area, there is a disruptive innovation opportunity to provide approachable and helpful mental health services to young demographic digitally enmeshed.
2. Mobile Therapy Apps - Mental health startups are disrupting traditional land-based therapy by providing counseling services by licensed therapists directly to their smartphones, offering affordability, convenience, and anonymity. Providing users with tools to manage mental health issues makes the scalability of these platforms accessible to many people and presents a disruptive innovation opportunity.
3. Online Wellness Platforms - As wellness is increasingly becoming a lifestyle choice rather than an occasional indulgence, this online trend provides a continuum of resources, from expert coaching to self-paced learning, that is accessible in a flexible manner. Wellness platforms such as oneOeight also offer tools for users to gather and discuss mental health, integrating social and digital spaces, a space with room for potential disruption.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Healthcare organizations can leverage the trend of providing virtual health services to expand patient reach, improve care quality and offer increased accessibility at lower costs.
2. Mental Health Startups - Mobile therapy apps are an area of innovation where startups can provide therapy services to a growing number of people who cannot access traditional health services; this market presents opportunities for improved diagnostic and provider selection options.
3. Wellness Industry - As the wellness market is growing rapidly, there is potential for online wellness platforms to offer more tailored solutions to users, disrupting the traditional wellness industry through personalized and community-led services based on users' interests and likings.
