Healthcare Providers, Patients Trust, Plan to Continue Telehealth Use

June 30, 2023 - While providing insight into the factors that affect telehealth use, a report from Doximity indicated that physicians and patients perceive telehealth positively, and most believe that it often contributes to positive outcomes.

This rise in telehealth use is largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To better understand where usage stood in 2022, Doximity, a digital platform for United States medical professionals, conducted surveys involving physicians and patients.

The physician population in the survey consisted of 1,200 participants, all of whom used Doximity telehealth tools in 2022. These physicians practiced across nine specialties.

Regarding the adoption of the Doximity telehealth platform by region, New York, Chicago, and Boston were the areas with the highest adoption rates. Regarding the age of physicians, those in the 30 to 39, 40 to 49, and 50 to 59 age groups had the highest adoption rates,

Physician specialty also played a key role in adoption rates. Endocrinology, urology, and gastroenterology were the specialties with the highest use rates. The report also noted that those involved in specialties that care for a higher number of patients with chronic diseases generally had higher telehealth adoption rates.

The share of survey physician participants that used telehealth weekly was 44 percent, while 40 percent used it daily, and 11 percent used it monthly. Researchers also found that the highest daily users of telehealth were psychiatrists and endocrinologists.

While telehealth is delivered in various forms, the rates at which physicians use virtual care modalities also vary. Video had the highest usage, with 94 percent of physicians saying they used it. Phone or audio followed, with 73 percent of physicians using it, and then messaging, with 26 percent using it.

Research further indicated that follow-up care was the most common use case for telehealth, with 92 percent of physician respondents saying they used telehealth for this type of care. About 57 percent said they used telehealth to review results and treatment plans. The survey also found that telehealth was vital for prescription refills.

Most of the physician population also found that telehealth improved work-life balance. Among physicians, 66 percent experienced at least one benefit related to time management. In addition, most respondents experienced more ease with schedule management.

Physicians also observed improved patient engagement. The survey found 61 percent of respondents observed lower patient no-show rates when using telehealth. The survey also found that 77 percent of physicians observed that patients had improved or similar treatment adherence through telehealth.

Overall, 88 percent of physicians agreed that telehealth increases patient access to care. When asked about the leading factors that play into this, ease of use and access across devices were the top reasons agreed upon by 92 percent and 81 percent of physicians, respectively.

When asked how to preserve patient access, 78 percent of physicians stated the need for pay parity between telehealth and in-person care, and 84 percent believed that cross-state telehealth flexibilities are important.

Researchers also gathered information on patient perceptions of telehealth. Doximity surveyed 2,400 adult patients, half of whom had a chronic illness and half did not. Most participants engaged with telehealth within the year prior.

When asked about the frequency of telehealth use in the previous year, 41 percent of patients indicated having used it one to two times, 38 percent had used it three to five times, and 21 percent had used it six or more times. When asked if telehealth improved access to care, 76 percent answered yes.

Patient adoption rates varied based on service. Follow-ups after in-person visits were the most commonly received via telehealth at 46 percent, followed by regular check-ups at 36 percent and medication management at 34 percent.

Common themes emerged upon review of the factors that influenced telehealth use.

Convenience was an apparent benefit as 53 percent of respondents indicated telehealth visits were easier than in-person visits, and 43 percent indicated telehealth was also faster.

Regardless of whether patients used telehealth within a year prior, video visits were most preferred, followed by phone and then messaging. Smartphones were the most commonly accessible device for virtual care, with 77 percent of respondents having one. This aligns with patient preferences, as 60 percent preferred using mobile devices for telehealth.

Research surrounding satisfaction also supported telehealth use. Among those who had engaged in telehealth within the year prior, 85 percent said that their overall care was the same, if not better. Meanwhile, 54 percent indicated that virtual care increased their satisfaction.

Further, 83 percent of patients who had used telehealth within the past year said they plan to sustain telehealth use.

Based on these results, researchers concluded that telehealth does and will likely continue to play an active role in healthcare.