EVANSTON, Ill., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers report significant interest in online health videos on hospital websites, according to a recent survey by StayWell Custom Communications (SCC). However, while three in four consumers say they want to see online videos about health procedures on their hospital website, only one in four reports having viewed such a video.
Information on health and wellness on hospital websites is clearly a draw for consumers, according to the survey. Approximately two-thirds indicate a desire to view a health encyclopedia, and an equal number also want to see general wellness information on their hospital website. Animated illustrations about health conditions and procedures are of interest to 62% of consumers polled.
In addition, consumers report interest in wellness tools (54%) and more than half (51%) indicate they would like to see personalized health programs on their hospital website. Overall more than three in four (78%) consumers surveyed say they would be interested in receiving personalized health information from a health-related website. Half of those surveyed report they'd definitely be willing to complete an online health assessment in order to receive personal health information; 37% say they "maybe" would be willing. Only 16% indicate they would not be willing to provide personal health information via an online assessment.
Overall, the top reasons consumers cite for visiting their hospital website include:
-- Information about physicians (39%)
-- Information about health conditions and treatments for myself (29%)
-- Information about the quality of care offered at that hospital (27%)
-- Information about health conditions and treatment for someone else
(27%)
-- Tools that help me manage my health (23%)
"SCC prides itself on keeping a finger on the pulse of consumer preferences related to the delivery of health information," said StayWell Custom Communications President and CEO Trent Sterling. "This study is another example of the ongoing research we conduct to keep our clients armed with valuable information about what their target audiences want -- particularly in an era of rapidly evolving media formats."
The online survey was conducted by custom print and online health publisher StayWell Custom Communications (SCC), a division of MediMedia USA, to determine consumer preferences related to health information provided on websites sponsored by hospitals, health plans and retail pharmacies. The survey was conducted in August 2008, and included a nationally representative sample of consumers.
Complete survey information with additional findings will be available soon from StayWell Custom Communications. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.staywellcustom.com .
About StayWell Custom Communications (SCC)
StayWell Custom Communications is a full-service, custom publisher of electronic health information solutions and custom print communications. StayWell Custom Communications, a division of MediMedia USA, is a member of the StayWell family of companies, which includes StayWell Health Management, StayWell Consumer Health Publishing (A Harvard Medical School Strategic Alliance), Vitality Communications, StayWell Productions, Krames and The Red Cross Strategic Business Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.staywellcustom.com .
About MediMedia
Headquartered in Chatham, NJ, with 1,600 employees in offices throughout the U.S., MediMedia is a publishing and information company which educates physicians and patients about drugs, diseases, therapies, health, safety and healthy lifestyles and is managed through two distinct business segments: the Consumer Group and the Professional Group. The Consumer Group provides patient education content sponsored by the full set of healthcare stakeholders, including employers, hospitals, health plans, physicians, patients and pharmaceutical companies. Customers purchase patient education products and services from MediMedia because these products and services help them lower healthcare costs. The Professional Group provides content and application-based marketing solutions for pharmaceutical companies, spanning their entire marketing continuum during a drug's lifecycle, which are targeted to physicians, payers and patients. Customers purchase our pharmaceutical products and services because these products and services help them drive incremental drug prescriptions.
MediMedia is a Vestar Capital Partners portfolio company.
SOURCE StayWell Custom Communications
