The Alliance for Connected Care has compiled polls on patient and provider adoption, acceptance, and satisfaction with telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency. This chart has also been added to our Studies & Reports page. The Alliance will continue to update the chart with telehealth polls as they are published.
COVID-19 Telehealth Polls – Patient and Provider Adoption, Acceptance, and Satisfaction
| Study Group | Telehealth Polls: Summary | Date of Publication | Link to survey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seniors | A poll from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation of more than 2,000 adults aged 50 to 80 finds an increase in telehealth visits from 4% as of May 2019 to 26% between March and June 2020. Other significant findings include: • They feel very or somewhat comfortable with video conferencing technologies: 64%, up from 53% in 2019 • At least one of their health providers offer telehealth visits: 62%, up from 14% • They are interested in using telehealth to connect with a provider they had seen before: 72%, up from 58% • They are interested in using telehealth for a one-time follow-up appointment after a procedure or operation: 63%, up from 55% • They have concerns about privacy during a telehealth visit: 24%, down from 49% • They are concerned they would have difficulty seeing or hearing the provider during a video visit: 25%, down from 39% | August, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. |
| A survey of more than 1,000 Medicare eligible consumers aged 64 and older conducted from July 17 to July 20 finds seniors are embracing telehealth and digital technologies. Telemedicine usage jumped 340% among Medicare-eligible seniors since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly one-third of consumers age 64 and older say they monitor their health using a wearable. Prior to COVID-19 only 1 in 10 used telemedicine. During COVID-19, 44% have used telemedicine and 43% say they intend on using it after, according to the survey. | August, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| A new poll of more than 1,000 seniors found 52% are comfortable using telehealth to receive health care. Of those who have used telehealth during the coronavirus, 91% reported a favorable experience, and 78% are likely to complete a medical appointment via telehealth again in the future. | May, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| Findings from the latest KFF Health Tracking Poll finds that the majority of older adults have an internet connection and communicate via smartphone, tablet, or computer to talk with friends. However, while 68% of adults 65 and older said they have a computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access at home, only 11% said they have used the device to communicate with a health care provider in the past two weeks. KFF indicates that this number will likely rise as stay-at-home orders are extended. | April, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. |
|
| Adults | Change Healthcare and Harris Poll conducted a survey of more 2,000 Americans to better understand the consumer experience of finding, accessing, and paying for healthcare today. The vast majority of consumers agree that COVID-19 will fundamentally change how we receive healthcare in American, with 80% saying that COVID-19 has made telehealth an indispensable part of the healthcare system. • 3 in 4 consumers believe telehealth is the future of telemedicine. The vast majority of consumers agree that COVID-19 will fundamentally change how we receive healthcare in American, with 80% saying that COVID-19 has made telehealth an indispensable part of the healthcare system. • 65% plan to use telehealth more often than they did before the pandemic. 1 in 4 used telehealth for the first time due to COVID-19, while 16% have used it more often. 79% who used telehealth for the first time during the pandemic said they plan to use telehealth more in the future. | July, 2020 | The full report can be downloaded here. |
| A March survey found that 59% of the 500 U.S. consumers surveyed said they are more likely to use telehealth services now than previously, and 36% said they would switch their physician in order to have access to virtual care. | March, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| A survey of 2,000 adults across the U.S. on perceptions of telehealth during COVID-19 found that more than 95% of respondents who had used telehealth said they already have or would consider scheduling another telehealth appointment in the future. The most cited advantages to telehealth were quicker and greater access to care and avoiding overcrowded wait rooms. | March, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| Providers | A survey of more than 1,300 physicians found that more than 90% are treating some or all of their patients via telehealth. Additionally, roughly 60% of physicians currently using telemedicine tools during the public health emergency said they plan to use telemedicine more often than they were pre-COVID. | April, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. |
| A survey of more than 800 physicians found that close to half (48%) are treating patients via telemedicine, up from 18% in 2018. | April, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| A survey found that all 20 accountable care organizations (ACOs) surveyed are implementing telemedicine solutions, with 16% relying on AI and automation to identify and reach high-risk patients. | April, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| A survey of more than 600 healthcare providers found that 41% were using telemedicine technology, up from 22 percent in a 2018 survey. In addition, roughly 28% of the practices surveyed offered telehealth-only visits. | March, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. | |
| Other | The latest Modern Healthcare CEO Survey finds that health system CEOs see a wave of innovation in telehealth over the next year. In addition, 92.9% of CEOs cited telehealth as a technology with the most potential to support response to the COVID-19 pandemic. | May, 2020 | Additional information can be found here. |