Why telehealth is here to stay

Most people likely took at least one virtual doctor’s appointment at some point in the last three years, and it appears that not many are clamoring to get back into the doc’s office any time soon.

Turns out, people really like getting care from the comfort of their own home (or bed, probably).

More than three in five (62%) people surveyed by Software Advice, a software advisory and research company, said they plan to keep using telehealth services. In August, Software Advice worked with a third party to survey 1,002 people who have used telehealth in the past two years.

Of those surveyed, 86% said they viewed their telehealth experience as positive. Just 7% said they’re sick of it and will return to in-person visits.

The survey found the *ideal* telehealth user—meaning the person most likely to prefer jumping on a Zoom call with their provider over making the trek IRL—has mild, common symptoms like a headache or fever, is insured, and has easy access to a computer, tablet or smartphone.

Here are some other stats the survey found:

• Patients are more likely to choose a doctor that offers telehealth services: 91% of respondents said they’re more likely to choose a provider if they offer virtual visits.
• Though they really like telehealth services, patients are still concerned about the quality of care they’re getting. About half of patients surveyed said they had concerns over the quality of care they got via telehealth.
• Convenience was most often cited as the top reason for using telemedicine, with 36% of respondents choosing it. Other top reasons included the ability to see a provider faster (24%), a provider recommended it (15%), and not having to drive to the provider (14%). Just 5% percent of respondents chose Covid-19-related reasons.
• When it comes to virtual care for mental health, patients are divided. Only 49% of respondents said they prefer virtual mental health visits, even though it’s one of the easiest types of doctor's visits to do online, since they don’t often require any sort of physical interaction between provider and patient.
• Doctors also seem to like telehealth. In a separate survey of 154 healthcare providers, Software Advice found that 62% rated their experience with telehealth as positive.

On the other hand: Providers have expressed some concerns over the rise of telehealth, particularly around convenience and reimbursement rates. In a survey conducted by consulting firm McKinsey & Company, only 36% of providers said they believe telehealth is more convenient for them than in-person care. More than half of providers also said that if reimbursement rates for telehealth services fell 15% lower than rates for in-person care, they’d be less likely to offer telehealth as an option.