Key Takeaways from Telehealth Statistics
Market Growth: The telehealth industry, valued at $49.9 billion in 2019, is projected to reach $459.8 billion by 2030, reflecting its explosive growth potential.
Physician Adoption Surge: Telemedicine usage among physicians jumped dramatically from 15.4% in 2019 to 86.5% in 2021, largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Patient Utilization Growth: Telehealth visits increased from 14 million in 2019 to 62 million in 2020 and were expected to reach 200 million in 2021.
Outpatient Telehealth Expansion: Outpatient telehealth visits were 78 times higher in late 2020 than pre-pandemic levels, highlighting the shift to virtual care.
Broad Adoption Across Demographics: Nearly three-quarters (74%) of millennials prefer telehealth over in-person visits, and 76% of adults over 55 have used telemedicine services.
Economic Impact: Telehealth technologies could save the U.S. healthcare system $305 billion annually by reducing emergency visits, travel costs, and other inefficiencies.
Behavioral Health Utilization: Behavioral health visits via telehealth grew from 41.4% of total telehealth usage in Q1 2020 to 67.0% by Q3 2023, demonstrating its vital role in mental healthcare.
Telehealth Adoption and Utilization Rates
The telehealth industry, worth $49.9 billion in 2019, is forecasted to grow substantially, reaching $194.1 billion by 2023 and an impressive $459.8 billion by 2030.
In 2020, the global telehealth systems market for wearable devices was valued at $16.6 billion, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.8% from 2021 to 2028.
By 2026, telehealth software and fitness markets are anticipated to expand to $14.7 billion, reflecting a CAGR of 23%.
The percentage of physicians using telemedicine surged from 15.4% in 2019 to an extraordinary 86.5% in 2021, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Telehealth visits skyrocketed, increasing from 14 million in 2019 to 62 million in 2020, and were projected to reach 200 million in 2021.
Outpatient telehealth visits during the final quarter of 2020 were 78 times higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The utilization of virtual care is now 38 times greater than it was before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, healthcare providers conducted 50 to 175 times more telemedicine visits compared to previous years.
Telehealth usage reached its highest levels in the second quarter of 2020, but by the third quarter of 2023, volumes were 54.7% lower than the peak.
Although telehealth spiked during the pandemic, its use in doctors' visits decreased from 52% in 2020 to just 11% after the pandemic’s peak.
Between 2010 and 2022, the number of Americans utilizing telehealth services grew from 0.3 million to 27.6 million.
76% of U.S. hospitals now use video and other telehealth technologies to connect with patients and consulting practitioners at a distance.
A significant 86% of hospitals and 79% of general practice offices offer telehealth options to help remove barriers to care for patients.
80% of U.S. doctors reported adopting telehealth services in their practices.
In 2023, 96% of HRSA-funded health centers used telehealth to deliver primary care services.
Among medical specialists, 41.5% utilized telemedicine for less than 25% of their patient visits.
For primary care physicians, 53.9% reported using telemedicine for less than 25% of their consultations.
63.3% of surgical specialists used telemedicine for less than 25% of their patient appointments.
25.1% of medical specialists employed telemedicine for 25% to 49% of their visits.
27.9% of primary care physicians reported using telemedicine for 25% to 49% of their patient visits.
Among medical specialists, 27.4% used telemedicine for 50% or more of their patient visits.
14.7% of primary care physicians reported using telemedicine for 50% or more of their consultations.
5.5% of surgical specialists reported using telemedicine for 50% or more of their visits, though this figure did not meet statistical reliability standards.
37.0% of adults aged 18 and over reported using telemedicine within the past year.
Among women aged 18 and older, 42% reported telemedicine usage in the past 12 months.
Among men aged 18 and older, 31.7% reported using telemedicine over the same period.
Telemedicine usage increased with age, starting at 29.4% among adults aged 18–29 and peaking at 43.3% among adults aged 65 and over.
Adults residing in the West reported a telemedicine usage rate of 42.4% within the past year.
In the Northeast, 40.0% of adults reported telemedicine usage over the same period.
In the South, 34.3% of adults reported using telemedicine in the past 12 months.
In the Midwest, 33.3% of adults reported utilizing telemedicine services.
Nearly three-quarters of millennials, or 74%, expressed a preference for teleconsultations over in-person visits, according to a GlobalMed report.
Telemedicine adoption increased by 12% among individuals over 55 and by 13% among rural residents, as highlighted by a Rock Health report.
76% of adults aged over 55 reported having used telemedicine services.
73% of rural residents indicated that they have used telemedicine.
80% of consumers reported having used telemedicine at least once.
In 2022, 67% of people reported using telemedicine, a significant increase from 37% before the pandemic, according to a J.D. Power study.
Over 20% of adult patients reported having a telehealth visit in July 2022.
A survey found that 69% of respondents would use telehealth to diagnose and treat general infections such as the flu or common colds.
66% of surveyed individuals said they would utilize telehealth for follow-up visits with their doctors.
61% of patients prefer telemedicine for prescription management, while 51% use it to receive care for minor illnesses.
23.1% of survey respondents reported using audio and video telehealth services in the last month.
The reduction in telehealth demand highlights its most effective use as a complement to in-person care, especially for low-acuity conditions in behavioral health.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has conducted over 2.29 million telemedicine interactions, serving more than 782,000 veterans.
In Ontario, Canada, telehealth visits surged from 11 per 1,000 rural patients and 7 per 1,000 urban patients pre-pandemic to 147 per 1,000 rural patients and 220 per 1,000 urban patients during the pandemic’s peak.
A remarkable 98% of transgender patients reported having used telemedicine services.
63% of patients expressed interest in expanded digital health options, such as online scheduling and digital-first healthcare plans.
44% of survey participants said they would use telehealth for managing chronic conditions.
Demographics and Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Telehealth Usage
Women were significantly more likely to use telemedicine, with 42% relying on it compared to just 31.7% of men.
37% of adults over 18 reported using telemedicine within the past year.
Telemedicine usage among adults over 18 increases with age, starting at 29.4% for those aged 18–29 and reaching 43.3% among adults aged 65 and older.
Non-Hispanic White adults reported a telemedicine usage rate of 39.2% over the past year.
Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults had the highest usage rate, at 40.6%, within the past 12 months.
Hispanic adults utilized telemedicine at a rate of 32.8% over the past year.
Non-Hispanic Black adults reported a telemedicine usage rate of 33.1% in the last year.
Similarly, Non-Hispanic Asian adults had a telemedicine usage rate of 33% over the same period.
Adults with family incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL) reported a telemedicine usage rate of 33.1% in the past 12 months.
Adults with incomes between 100% and 200% of FPL had a slightly lower usage rate of 32.1%.
At the higher end, adults with incomes 400% or more of FPL reported the highest telemedicine usage rate, at 40.7%.
Telemedicine usage increases with education, from 28.7% of adults without a high school diploma to 43.2% of those with a college degree or higher.
The likelihood of using telemedicine decreases with urbanization, from 40.3% among adults in large central metropolitan areas to 27.5% among those in noncore areas.
Regional differences show 40% of adults in northern states and 42.4% in western states relied on telemedicine, compared to 34.3% in the South and 33.3% in the Midwest.
Among respondents, 29.8% of Medicaid users and 27.4% of Medicare users reported relying on telehealth services.
A remarkable 74% of millennials expressed a preference for telehealth over in-person visits.
76% of individuals over 55 reported having used telemedicine.
73% of rural residents indicated they have utilized telemedicine services.
Approximately 40% of rural residents in the U.S. lack access to sufficient broadband, a critical barrier to telehealth adoption.
Telemedicine adoption increased by 12% among individuals over 55 and by 13% among rural residents, according to Rock Health.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, 27% of patients reported feeling more comfortable with telemedicine, based on a Doximity report from September 2020.
Specialist-Specific Telehealth Usage
27.4% of medical specialists used telemedicine for 50% or more of their patient visits, a rate higher than that of both primary care physicians and surgical specialists.
50.6% of surgical specialists reported being able to provide a similar quality of care through telemedicine as they could during in-person visits, "to some extent or a great extent."
Among medical specialists, 73.1% stated they could deliver a comparable quality of care via telemedicine as in-person visits, "to some extent or a great extent."
42.4% of surgical specialists felt that telemedicine allowed them to provide a similar quality of care compared to in-person visits "not at all or to a small extent."
For medical specialists, 20.4% indicated that telemedicine visits provided a comparable quality of care to in-person visits "not at all or to a small extent."
Nearly half of surgical specialists, 49.7%, reported that telemedicine technology was not suitable for their specialty or patient needs.
26.7% of medical specialists also felt that telemedicine technology was inappropriate for their specialty or patient requirements.
During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study by the American Academy of Neurology found that only 5% of telemedicine appointments for children required an in-person follow-up.
According to a ResearchGate paper from 2019, 52.5% of healthcare professionals believed teleconsultations were more effective for delivering treatment and follow-up care for established patients.
Video telehealth usage was highest among young adults aged 18–24 at 72.5%, followed by individuals earning up to $100,000 annually at 68.8%, those with private insurance at 65.9%, and white individuals at 61.9%.
Patient Satisfaction and Perception of Care Quality
96% of telepsychiatry patients report being satisfied with the care they receive in a virtual mental health setting.
93% of telepsychiatry patients feel they can convey the same information virtually as they would during in-person appointments.
85% of telepsychiatry patients are comfortable sharing personal information with mental health professionals in a virtual environment.
80% of patients who regularly receive primary care through telemedicine express satisfaction with the quality and level of care.
Among telehealth users, 42% described their experience as extremely satisfying, while 36% felt somewhat satisfied.
A remarkable 94% of digital healthcare users stated they would utilize these services again.
93% of patients are interested in managing prescription medications via telemedicine.
91% of people believe telemedicine supports them in keeping appointments, refilling prescriptions, and adhering to medical protocols.
55% of patients think the quality of telehealth care surpasses that of traditional in-office visits.
60% of patients consider telemedicine more convenient than attending in-person health appointments.
40% of patients plan to continue utilizing telemedicine services even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
63% of patients are interested in expanded digital health solutions, such as online appointment scheduling and digital-first healthcare plans.
Physician Satisfaction and Perception of Care Quality
93% of clinicians consider telehealth an acceptable approach to patient care, with 60% stating they are "very satisfied" with their experiences.
89% of clinicians find telemedicine to be a satisfactory method for providing follow-up care.
76.7% of primary care physicians reported they were able to deliver a similar quality of care during telemedicine visits compared to in-person appointments "to some extent or a great extent."
19.2% of primary care physicians indicated that telemedicine allowed them to provide similar care quality compared to in-person visits "not at all or to a small extent."
52.5% of clinicians believe virtual healthcare visits result in more effective treatment outcomes compared to traditional in-person care.
According to McKinsey, only 32% of clinicians feel telemedicine enhances patient experiences, while 36% agree that telehealth services are more convenient than in-person appointments.
Among primary care physicians, 65.5% reported satisfaction with telemedicine technology for patient consultations.
18.5% of primary care physicians expressed dissatisfaction with the telemedicine technology used for patient visits.
15.6% of primary care physicians indicated they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with telemedicine technology for their consultations.
63.6% of medical specialists expressed satisfaction with telemedicine technology for patient visits.
20.6% of medical specialists reported dissatisfaction with telemedicine technology during patient visits.
15.6% of medical specialists noted they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with telemedicine technology.
Among surgical specialists, 49.5% were satisfied with the telemedicine technology used for patient appointments.
25.2% of surgical specialists reported being dissatisfied with telemedicine technology during their consultations.
25.1% of surgical specialists indicated they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with telemedicine technology for their visits.
Economic Impact and Cost Savings
By 2023, the telehealth industry was projected to achieve a market value of $194.1 billion.
Profits from telehealth services are expected to soar to $559.52 billion by 2027.
Telehealth technologies have the potential to save the U.S. healthcare system an impressive $305 billion annually.
Investment in telehealth skyrocketed to $4.2 billion in Q1 2021, doubling from $2.2 billion in the same quarter of 2020.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that continuing pandemic-era telehealth policies could lead to $2 billion in excess Medicare spending.
Over 50% of healthcare providers agree that telemedicine helps patients avoid emergency room visits.
Telehealth services saved patients between $19 and $121 per visit by reducing emergency room trips.
The telemedicine platform JeffConnect by Jefferson Health generated cost savings of $300 to $1,500 per visit for the hospital and $19 to $121 per visit for patients.
Telemedicine cuts the cost of doctor visits by 10-15%.
Cancer patients using telehealth save between $147 and $186 per doctor visit.
Teledentistry appointments cost an average of $233, significantly less than the $662 for in-person visits.
Uninsured patients pay an average of $79 per telemedicine consultation.
Remote patient monitoring in one diabetes cohort improved outcomes while achieving cost savings of $3,855 per patient annually.
Virtual health visits with veterans led to a 25% reduction in inpatient care days and a 19% drop in hospital admissions.
Banner Health’s Ambulatory Care program, integrating telehealth, reduced hospitalizations by 49.5% and decreased 30-day readmissions by 75% in its first year.
The same Banner Health program achieved an overall 34.5% reduction in costs in its first year.
Swedish Health Care estimates potential annual cost savings of up to 25% through increased use of virtual care visits.
The virtual healthcare platform introduced by Frederick Memorial Hospital in 2016 lowered patient care costs by 50%.
Technological and Accessibility Challenges
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 34 million Americans still lack access to adequate broadband services.
In rural areas across the United States, approximately 40% of residents are without adequate broadband services, posing significant challenges to telehealth expansion.
Technical issues arise in 40% of telehealth encounters, highlighting a key area for improvement in virtual care.
Nearly half (49.7%) of surgical specialists indicated that telemedicine technology is not suitable for their specialty or their patients.
Among medical specialists, 26.7% reported that telemedicine technology was inappropriate for their specialty or patient needs.
For primary care physicians, 15.5% expressed that telemedicine technology was unsuitable for their specialty or patients.
A significant 63% of healthcare professionals identify cloud-based systems, such as electronic health records, as being the most vulnerable to security breaches.
Cybersecurity attacks targeting the healthcare sector surged by 74% between 2021 and 2022, reflecting escalating risks in digital health infrastructure.
Regulatory and Policy Influence on Telehealth
Telehealth usage surged during the pandemic thanks to new Medicare reimbursement flexibilities, but as of 2023, Congress has only extended these policies through the end of 2024.
Pandemic-era telehealth policies enabling remote prescriptions for controlled substances, such as opioids and stimulants, led to an increase in tele-prescriptions.
The continuation of remote prescribing for controlled substances depends on forthcoming decisions by the Drug Enforcement Administration, as the current flexibilities are set to expire at the end of 2024.
Behavioral Health and Mental Health Telehealth Services
A remarkable 96% of telepsychiatry patients report being satisfied with the quality of virtual mental healthcare services.
93% of telepsychiatry patients affirm that they can share the same information during virtual visits as they would in face-to-face appointments.
85% of telepsychiatry patients feel at ease communicating with mental health professionals in a virtual setting.
The number of Americans utilizing telehealth for mental healthcare grew from 49% in 2020 to 59% in 2021, reflecting increased adoption of virtual care.
Nearly half of respondents, 49%, indicated they would consider using telehealth for therapy or psychiatric consultations.
Behavioral health visits as a portion of total telehealth utilization surged from 41.4% in Q1 2020 to 67.0% by Q3 2023.
As of the third quarter of 2023, 30.3% of antidepressant prescriptions were issued through telehealth consultations.
38.9% of stimulant prescriptions originated from telehealth visits as of the third quarter of 2023.
Telehealth accounted for 5.4% of opioid prescriptions as of the third quarter of 2023.
Pandemic Influence on Telehealth Adoption
During the final week of the first quarter in 2019, telehealth service usage rose by an astounding 154%, compared to the same timeframe the year prior.
The adoption of telemedicine by physicians saw an extraordinary leap from 15.4% in 2019 to 86.5% in 2021, largely attributed to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tele-prescribing has experienced significant growth across all major drug categories, including antidepressants, stimulants, and opioids, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The telehealth industry is undergoing a strategic shift, prompted by declining demand and the realization that pandemic-era market predictions were misaligned with current trends.
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