Immediate access and convenience – patients love Digital Clinic over traditional visits

In Finland, the traditional and most preferred model to seek help for illnesses and other health issues is to have a face-to-face appointment with a medical doctor at a health clinic. Therefore, patients do not easily or self-evidently think that digital chat-based appointments are a suitable solution for them. Willingness to use digital chat-based appointments is higher in younger people whereas older age groups are more reluctant in adopting digital services. For comparison, 27 % of Finns between 15-34 years of age used chat-based appointments in 2020 whereas only 5 % of those older than 55 did that. 

However, the COVID-19 pandemic created a spike in the demand of digital health care services. Then, daily consultations jumped up from 500 to 6000, which shows that Digital Clinic, fully digital healthcare platform for patients and healthcare providers developed by Mehiläinen, became a critical enabler to health care during the pandemic. Since then, Digital Clinic visits have grown exponentially as users have seen the fast, efficient and easy-access service it offers.  

Small, urgent or unsure medical needs, such as prescription renewal or referrals, are common reasons for seeking medical help through Digital Clinic. Digital Clinic allows patients to check whether they need medical help or a face-to-face appointment. Some illnesses, for example urinary tract infection, have symptoms that make it difficult or even impossible to go to a health clinic. In these cases, Digital Clinic is a very appreciated, fast solution.

Quick access to treatment

74 % of Finns rate speed of service as the most important factor when choosing their health care provider. When in need of medical help, patients want to get the appointment at their earliest convenience. Digital Clinic has an advantage over the traditional solution because patients can access medical help within minutes or even seconds without leaving their home, independent of time and place. 

In addition to speed of service, patients don’t want to bend on quality of service; medical expertise, confidence-inspiring interaction and politeness are elements of high-quality service patients expect. Studies indicate that patients’ expectations towards a chat appointment are the same as towards a face-to-face appointment. 

From the patient’s perspective, the most prominent advantage of Digital Clinic is the fact that the clinic offers fast 24/7 access to medical help without leaving their home. When patients visit Digital Clinic with medical needs that can be treated at the clinic, their feedback is positive and genuinely positively surprised. This occurs especially after their first visit or when critically urgent needs could be solved. These positive experiences typically inspire them to recommend the clinic to their circle of friends and acquaintances. Digital Clinic has revolutionised the way health care is provided and how patients more and more perceive it as their first place to seek medical help.