The Data Shows Telehealth Is Here to Stay

The 2022 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study finds that telehealth services aren’t going anywhere, and in fact are becoming the preferred method of communication between patients and their providers for routine care. While the pandemic forced patients to utilize telehealth tools when in-person options were less readily available, the ease of use made telehealth appointments appealing to patients in the long term. Patients are continuing to rely on this service, with usage increasing 2 points from the prior year. However, as telehealth continues to transform the healthcare landscape, there are several issues that remain that need to be addressed to meet evolving patient needs.

Why are patients still finding telehealth visits valuable when they can see an in-person provider?

Although in-person appointments are readily available to members, J.D. Power data shows that patients prefer the access, convenience, and avoidance of exposure that comes with telehealth. Over two-thirds of healthcare consumers shared that they would rather use telehealth services instead of seeing their provider for an in-person visit for routine care services, such as:

• Prescription refills
• Review medication options
• Discuss test results

Plan providers are discovering the value of incorporating telehealth as a low-cost tool for improved service and accessibility for current patients and a key part of increasing opportunities for access to care for more patients.

Why is satisfaction down?

While the healthcare industry saw rising scores in Overall Satisfaction and Promotion (NPS®) in 2020, both declined for the second straight year—and are at their lowest points in the last four years.

As telehealth becomes the norm, member expectations continue to grow. Members report frustration with telehealth citing three barriers that have made this service difficult to use, including:

• Limited services provided
• Confusing technology requirements
• Lack of provider information

These three pain points have remained consistent since 2021. Consumers express dissatisfaction with the limited offerings provided as well as their efforts to understand the technology required of them as they continue to rely on this digital tool to fit into their busy lives.

What can health plans do?

The consensus from members is that they enjoy utilizing telehealth services and share that they will continue to use this channel to communicate with their providers in the future. As members continue to rely more heavily on this digital feature of their healthcare plans, providers need to step up their offering of services and focus on ease of use to meet patient needs and improve customer satisfaction.