Please support Telehealth.org’s ability to deliver helpful news, opinions, and analyses by turning off your ad blocker. According to a recent report, healthcare professionals believe virtual visits have increased patients’ and clients’ interest in telehealth adoption. CVS Health conducted a survey, Health Care Insights Study 2022, to understand health providers’ and consumers’ health care experience during COVID-19. They were interested in understanding which barriers may hinder their ability to improve digital health online service outcomes. CVS surveyed 1000 adults who answered 69 questions. They also surveyed 400 healthcare providers, who answered 42 questions. According to Adult Data 2022, 19.86% of American adults report mental health illnesses, which translates into nearly 50 million Americans. The CVS survey suggests that virtual care can help reduce the effect of this epidemic.
How Many Patients Prefer Convenience?
Survey results showed that 92% of the consumers considered convenience to be their key consideration when selecting a healthcare provider. To this point, 37% of these patients also reported that they scheduled virtual visits to save time and money on transportation. More than half of the surveyed population believed virtual visits were more private than in-person consultations.
Those patients who embraced mental health online services reportedly find it more convenient to be at home when discussing symptoms of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, and other mental health disorders. And 59% said telehealth adoption was necessary for their mental health. Many healthcare consumers (65% in the survey) said that it is easier to track their health and fitness with digital devices.
Practitioner Telehealth Adoption
Not only patients but healthcare experts also realize the importance of telehealth adoption. Almost 53% of medical professionals said virtual mental health services have led to more patients booking appointments. In addition, 48% of patients were likely to consider mental health treatment if virtual visits were an option. They are also taking the initiative to make virtual visits a new standard. For example, 42% have started virtual portals, and 43% offer virtual care through mobile apps.
Another survey finding suggests that consumers want a deeper connection with their healthcare provider. A total of 81% of consumers said that communication was essential and wanted the primary care provider to understand their stress level and inability to cope with difficult situations. CVS Health asked physicians about the next-gen primary care for patients with mental illnesses. More than half (68%) of healthcare providers said communication and coordination with other providers were important in understanding a patient’s condition. In addition, 93% of providers said virtual care brought more people to their services, and 88% said it helped people keep appointments.
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