The onset of COVID-19 has doubled the percentage of American adults who have tried telemedicine as an alternative to a doctor’s office visit, according to a survey by independent marketing, advertising, and public relations agency Mower. But, why is this?

Well, first, telemedicine allows healthcare professionals to evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients at a distance using telecommunications technology.

Second, changes in the way that healthcare is delivered during this pandemic were needed as a way to reduce staff exposure to sick people, preserve personal protective equipment (PPE), and minimize the impact of patient COVID-19 surges on facilities.

The Increased Adoption of Telemedicine

While telemedicine technology and its use are not new, widespread adoption among healthcare professionals and patients beyond simple telephone correspondence has been relatively slow, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, trends showed some increased interest in use of telemedicine services by both healthcare professionals and patients. However, recent policy changes during the COVID-19 pandemic have reduced barriers to telemedicine access and have promoted the use of telemedicine as a way to deliver acute, chronic, primary and specialty care.

COVID-19 Telemedicine Stats

In fact, here are few interesting stats from virtual care providers:

• In the U.S., existing telemedicine platforms like Amwell and UPMC’s virtual urgent care have reported rapid increases in their use. A recent poll found 23 percent of adults have used telemedicine services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• About one in 10 telemedicine visits are for people who believe they may have been exposed to the virus, but virtual care provider Teledoc CEO Jason Gorevic said, they have seen a surge in all types of visits, notably dermatology and mental health.
• New users span many demographics, but the strongest growth is among men aged 18 to 30, a population that was “previously uninterested” in virtual care.

We can help expand and sustain access to telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. We need a better way for employees to interact with their employee benefits, make better healthcare decisions, and save money.

If you’re interested in learning more about telemedicine or how it can help your organization and employees, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We have experts who know the ins and outs of telemedicine and would be happy to answer your questions!