Digital healthcare on the rise in the South West
Many services went digital during the pandemic
People in the South West say they will continue using digital healthcare after the pandemic.
New research from Boots has found that the increasing popularity of digital healthcare services is creating a new era of on-demand healthcare post-pandemic.
88% of patients who used digital healthcare services during the pandemic plan to continue to use them in the future.
Digital healthcare is anything which isn't face-to-face - like ordering prescriptions online or having telephone consultaions.
It's been particularly popular in people aged 20-34.
Mar Donavan, Chief Pharmacist for Boots, said: âCustomers turned to digital healthcare to access support for a range of conditions during the pandemic, with many finding they liked the speed and convenience it offers.
Wider availability of low cost, pay-as-you go digital services can also help to relieve some of the extra pressures imposed on our NHS by COVID-19.
The demand for accessible, convenient services accessed online first is here to stay.â
It's thought the pandemic has revolutionised the way we access healthcare and has seen the area advance in ways which wouldn't have been seen if the pandemic didn;t happen.
The demand for it hopes to also ease pressure of GPs who have had to adapt and change the way they have consultations with patients despite increasing pressure.
Marc added: "GPs have adapted over the alst 18-months but they are still inundated with appointments.
"I think pharmacists working in partnership with GPs can provide really neat solutions in the future."