It’s no surprise that technology like telehealth has transformed the ability for consumers to access care. Everything from remote consultations to remote monitoring, behavioral health support, and ease of scheduling, has consumers across the globe leveraging this technology to help them take better care of themselves.
In fact, a national survey states that 8 out of 10 respondents have used telehealth at some point in their lives. What once may have caused hesitation has now become a reliable form of care; telemedicine has now reached the 80% adoption mark, becoming the preferred channel for prescription care and minor illness.1
Another study of consumers shed light on the highest use percentages of consumers, which included those who were on Medicaid or Medicare, earned less than $25,000, or identified as African American.2 However, the most significant increases in adoption belonged to consumers who have long been undeserved, live in rural areas, are 55 years old or older, or do not have health insurance.
The first step to getting employees engaged in your health plan is ensuring easy access to affordable care. It’s really that simple! Offering access to telehealth services, especially free services, may reduce your healthcare costs in the long run. These services can minimize unnecessary hospital and ER visits or readmissions, can assist with triage and health monitoring, determine appropriate levels of care, and can even reduce expenses related to transportation, childcare, and missed workdays when employees are ill.
Employees can now connect to their care teams at any time to set up appointments, ask minor health questions, order medication, create follow-ups, and conduct therapy or psychiatry consultations with ease and confidentiality. Telehealth eliminates the barriers that can sometimes be present in more rural or underserved areas. This can also be true regarding the need to find specialists within a certain local geography. Employees can receive the care they need to be their best selves regardless of where that specialist resides.
While there may be some cases where in-person care is necessary or preferred, the convenience, accessibility, and cost-saving benefits of telehealth have made it a favorable option for many employees and worth noting prior to your next enrollment. It provides an additional avenue for accessing healthcare services and has the potential to enhance employee engagement and outcomes. With seamless continuity of care, which can be incredibly useful for those with long-term health conditions and require regular monitoring, to the reduced exposure to other illnesses that may be present at health facilities, to creating swifter access to care (as in-person appointments may take longer to schedule), telehealth saves time and effort.
1Digital Health Adoption Survey. Consumer Adoption of digital health in 2022: Moving at the speed of trust. Feb. 21, 2023.
2ASPE. National Survey Trends in Telehealth Use in 2021: Disparities in Utilization and Audio vs. Video Services. Feb. 1, 2022.
