Why More Americans Are Taking Advantage of Telehealth Services
Telehealth services have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Telemedicine offers a range of benefits for busy Americans seeking personalized medical care. Take a closer look at why more Americans are taking advantage of these innovative services.
Who Is Using Telehealth Services?
A 2023 survey revealed that 90% of Americans had used telehealth services in the last year alone. That number only increases with age and family income level.
Additionally, telehealth is not just a helpful option for those in rural areas who may lack access to reliable medical services. Telemedicine is actually more popular in highly urbanized areas, perhaps owing to the busy lifestyles of city residents.
The Benefits of Telehealth Services
For both American patients and healthcare providers, telehealth services come with distinct advantages. Here are just a few of the key benefits of telemedicine.
Added Convenience
First, telemedicine is convenient. When patients are busy at work — or parenting — it can be hard to find time to make an in-person appointment. But telemedicine can fit seamlessly into the busiest schedules and can even take place within the seclusion of a patient’s own office.
Reduced Financial Burden
Remote medical visits can reduce costs. That’s partly due to the fact that patients won’t be paying for transportation to in-person visits or repeated follow-up appointments, and medical facilities can reduce their overhead costs, which can mean that patients might expect to see additional savings in the near future.
Minimal Risk of Exposure
For elderly patients and the immunocompromised, a visit to the doctor’s waiting room can carry a lot of risk. Telemedicine eliminates the need for exposure to other sick patients. Similarly, telemedicine allows ill patients to seek care from the comfort of their own homes without taking on the hassle of an in-person appointment.
More Options for Supplemental Healthcare
Insurance coverage has quickly expanded to include telehealth services, especially through supplemental healthcare options. By purchasing supplemental healthcare coverage, you can augment your current policy to cover deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.
Easy Payment Options
With telemedicine, providers can offer easy, seamless payment options to patients. With options like Simpay’s fully compliant Dual Pricing/Surcharging program — Simpay Select Plus — accepting payments for telehealth appointments is simple and straightforward.
Does Telemedicine Compromise Patient Care?
A possible objection to telemedicine is that it may compromise patient care. Some may think that a telehealth appointment isn’t nearly as effective as an in-person visit. But the numbers tell a different story. Of the 90% who used telehealth services in the last year, 90% said that they had a positive experience.
Far from compromising patient care, telemedicine can actually deliver higher standards of care. That’s because doctors and patients can interact through an online portal, giving patients faster access to test results and providing more opportunities for follow-ups outside of the appointment itself.
This is to say nothing of the way that telemedicine has created new opportunities for medical care for those in remote or rural communities. Telemedicine grants healthcare access to a wider percentage of the U.S. population, and that percentage is growing every day.
The Outlook for Telehealth
To be fair, there are still some remaining challenges associated with telemedicine. Not all Americans have reliable internet access, or the technological skills to navigate the telehealth interface.
Still, as technology advances, telehealth will likely expand opportunities to these same populations, making it a staple for American healthcare moving forward.
