JD Power: Telehealth Mobile Apps: Preferred Channel for Virtual Care Delivery Telehealth continues to enjoy elevated popularity thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth received higher marks for satisfaction with the clinicians patients interact with and for patients feeling their needs are met during a visit. The study found that ease of access is the primary reason people use telehealth rather than visit a doctor in-person. Twenty-eight percent of patients said they choose telehealth visits for convenience, and 17 percent said it was for the ability to receive care quickly.

KeyCare: Consumers Prefer Telehealth Over In-office Visits for Routine Care, Medication Refills & Behavioral Health According to a survey from KeyCare, consumers continue to express a strong preference for telehealth over in-office care for several types of visits. the majority reported participating in multiple telehealth visits over the prior year and shared that their favorite aspects of telehealth are time savings, quick access to care, and cost savings. Additionally, 84 percent of consumers reported seeing their own regular doctor or an associate of that doctor for telehealth, while 78 percent said that their virtual provider had access to their long-term medical records [...]

Peterson-KFF: Private Insurer Payments for Telehealth and In-Person During the Pandemic Telehealth use surged with the COVID-19 pandemic as patients sought access to services while providers implemented social distancing protocols. Early in the pandemic, many payers eased restrictions on the use of telehealth and increased reimbursement rates to encourage its use. Among providers who offered both telehealth and in-person care, the vast majority of providers received similar payments regardless of whether the service was provided in-person or over telehealth. The researchers noted that the future of telehealth will be shaped by its effect on total health spending, federal and state regulations relating to [...]

Milbank Memorial Fund: Assessing the Impact of Medicaid Telehealth Policy Change on Equitable Access to Telehealth Services in North Carolina  Telehealth offer rates and use in North Carolina Medicaid varied by race and ethnicity during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic despite more flexible policies and digital infrastructure investments in rural areas. Improving equitable access to and delivery of telehealth services may include strategies such as maintaining broad telehealth access postpandemic, creating remote “hubs” where patients can access secure technology, and harnessing benefits such as digital technologies to broaden access. Addressing health equity, in particular, may require evaluating strategies such [...]