Is the rise of online usage as a result of Covid-19 here to stay, or is it just a passing trend?
By: Lilach Ben Artzi Levy
Tags: Product, Digital Transformation, Digital Marketing, Health Care Reform, Innovation

Covid-19 has affected our lives for 9 months. At first, we were frightened. We did not understand the meaning of the pandemic; whether we would be able to continue our daily routines in accordance with guidelines, or get used to the strange new realities of lockdown.

It soon became clear that digital and online services were the rising stars of the time.

At Maccabi Health Services, we are constantly working to improve, develop and expand the remote medical and administrative services we offer our patients. We, like many other service providers, invest much effort in developing these capabilities. However, our investment is not always reflected in the usage of these services among certain groups of the population. Mainly, the older generations who are accustomed to consuming such services in the way they have been using them for decades.

Then came Covid-19 which brought lockdown and social distancing in its wake. The resulting situation forced us to stay home, and physically accessing services was no longer an option. This meant that even the technophobes and people unaccustomed to the digital world, have started to consume services through online platforms. The percentage of online service usage has sky-rocketed since the beginning of the pandemic. Older patients have learnt to ask for prescriptions, referrals and approvals through the application. People have changed their habits, and are starting to communicate with doctors through digital platforms. Additionally, they have discovered that it is more convenient to send a request to their doctors using these platforms, rather than going for physical consultations. On the organizational side, processes that otherwise would have taken months or years, have been expedited and are set in motion within weeks.

It may be said that Covid-19 did a great service to digital uses. Customers adapted behaviors and habits, that would never have occurred with such force, were it not for the pandemic.

However, is this a passing phenomenon? Is the change derived only from the consequences of unprecedented times, or has this resulted in a permanent change?

It is tempting to say yes, that people have understood how convenient and efficient it is, and will continue with digital use. But in reality, the facts are more complex, especially in the world of medicine. The truth, as always, is somewhere in the middle.

Our faith and natural inclination for physical encounters with our doctors, all the more so as Israelis, is unavoidable. In Israel, and perhaps the whole world, the expression “go see a doctor” means meeting your doctor face to face. There is something about it which comforts us, we start feeling better just by visiting the doctor.

Thus, it is safe to assume that post-Covid-19 we will see a relative proportion of patients returning to physical appointments. With regards to the technical and bureaucratic matters involved in the world of medicine, we have succeeded in teaching a very large proportion of the population not only how to use digital tools, but also like it.

My mother, your aunt, our neighbor; who used to visit the clinic once a week to get a prescription, have come to know that it can be done through a digital platform. It is quick, easy and even benefits their health.

In summary, it may well be said that Covid-19 instigated a revolution within the world of digital health and medical services. Even if it is temporary, and people return to their former habits, it is clear that a dramatic change has taken place. Many industries are adapting as a result of Covid-19, and are writing history as they do. The digital world is no exception.

Link to the original opinion piece: