Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the telehealth industry
![]() | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Telemedicine_Consult.jpg/220px-Telemedicine_Consult.jpg)
Part of a series on the |
COVID-19 pandemic |
---|
![]() |
|
![]() |
Telehealth is the practice of providing healthcare via communication between the healthcare practitioner and the patient through electronic ("virtual") methods such as telephones, smartphones, tablets, and computers. Telehelath permits patients to communicate with professionals via telephone, secure email, video chat, and in some instances secure messaging.[1] Physicians may also utilize the Telehealth systems for remote monitoring of patients at home.[1] When the Telehealth industry was founded, it was primarily used to provide services to underserved and rural area patients,[2] enabled people to connect to specialists not located nearby.[2] Telehealth was initially used predominantly for specialties such as cardiology, neurology, mental health, and dermatology.[2] Telehealth has expanded to include many new applications such as physical therapy through digital monitoring tools and surgery done remotely using robots.[3] The first major telehealth company, Teladoc, was founded in 2002 and since then the industry has grown to include companies such as Amwell, MeMD, and iCliniq.[4]
COVID-19's impact on telehealth
Early stages of the pandemic
Before the Covid pandemic, telehealth use was growing slowly. Many patients preferred seeing a doctor in person and were concerned about privacy issues over a video call. When COVID-19 began to spread in early 2020, many healthcare professionals curtailed or stopped in-person visits because of concern about possible Covid exposure. Telehealth offered a solution to this problem; its use increased by 5,000% from February to March 2020[5] and remains in widespread use.
Growth in the industry
Telehealth companies since the start of the pandemic have seen growth in their business in terms of both the number of patients and their overall financial health.[6] Between February and March 2020, the number of telehealth claims at the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts grew by 3,500%.[6] The NYU Langone Health's telehealth platform added over 1,300 new healthcare providers during the pandemic, demonstrating the rapid explosion in the growth of the telehealth industry.[6] The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed telehealth companies to reach millions of patients more easily than it would have if not for the environment the pandemic created in healthcare. The sheer number of new customers has allowed companies such as Teladoc to reap the rewards of this new high growth potential market.[6] In 2020, Teladoc saw its stock valuation increase year to date by 168%, and telehealth's second-largest company, Amwell went public on September 17th, 2020.[6] The top 60 virtual health companies have seen their total revenue grow from $3 billion in 2019–2020 to $5.5 billion in 2020–2021 which is an 83% increase.[7] The telehealth industry overall has seen keen interest from venture capitalists and other investors that are trying to get in on the expansion the telehealth industry is experiencing due to the pandemic.[6] In the first quarter of 2020, venture capital raised $788 million for telehealth companies.[6] That amount was over three times more than that was raised in the first quarter of 2019.[6] Telehealth startups also saw a year-over-year increase of 1,818% of funding in 2020.[6]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Amwell_logo_RGB_ColorGradient.png/220px-Amwell_logo_RGB_ColorGradient.png)
Growth in usage rate
In 2020, over 50% of all outpatient care was being delivered completely virtually at its peak during the pandemic.[8] The number of patients using telehealth has grown from 11% in 2019 to around 46% in 2021.[9] Analysts believe that this growth will be somewhat sustained due to the pandemic allowing telehealth to overcome its biggest obstacle which was its lack of awareness among patients and providers.[6] Millions of patients and providers have now used telehealth to fulfill part of their healthcare needs, and some evidence suggests telehealth contributes to similar outcomes and patient satisfaction.[10][11] Not only has telehealth become known among the public, but providers have also had extremely positive interactions with these services.[12] 57% of providers view telehealth more favorably than before the pandemic and 64% of providers are more comfortable with using telehealth platforms.[12] Patients’ exposure and providers’ positive views on telehealth services appear to paint a bright future for the industry.
Potential barriers to growth
Lower usage rate
The weekly average of daily telehealth visits has been declining since April 2020.[6] In April, the visits were peaking at around two thousand per week and they have dropped to around five hundred a week in June 2020.[6] Experts believe that the high peaks of telehealth usage during the pandemic will come down even more and that it is unrealistic to believe that this peak in usage will become the new norm.[6]
Cross-state practice
Most states require that the healthcare professional, that is using telehealth, have a form of license to practice in that state regardless of whether they are located in the state.[13] Cross-state practice issues can inhibit the growth of the telehealth market due to it affecting the staff composition at these companies.[13] These companies will have to make sure that they have professionals that are licensed in the states that the patients are from in order to service the patients.[13] This could inhibit the growth of the industry since these companies have to allocate a certain amount of workers to be in each region instead of just having certain types of healthcare professionals.
Coverage and reimbursement issues
Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers all have a unique set of rules and criteria for coverage and reimbursements for telehealth services.[13] Lawyers believe that these rules and criteria can be inconsistent at times and can be not fully comprehensive.[13] These unique rules and inconsistencies could potentially add another layer of complexity for providers to have to go through in order to get paid for their services.[13]
IT and security issues
Experts believe that telehealth services hinge upon the success of their IT services.[9] These services include software security, software compliance, and data interoperability.[9] Constructing and maintaining these IT services can be expensive and can be hard to fund due to competition.[9] With the growing number of potential patients, these startup companies could require funding to expand their IT services.[9] Without this expansion, these companies could have lower service quality and put at risk the data and privacy of their consumers.[9]
Provider-patient relationships
States require that patients and healthcare professionals to establish a relationship.[13] This relationship was normally established when the patient met the provider in-person.[13] This requirement has evolved in some states to focus more on the existence of several factors such as the patient's medical history or the provider's affirmative acts.[13]
Remote prescribing
Some states require that an in-person examination happen before allowing for the remote prescribing of drugs.[13] Other states allow remote prescribing without an in-person visit, however there needs to be an interaction via a face-to-face video call.[13] All states do not allow for remote prescribing of drugs if the patient only submitted an online questionnaire.[13]
Future opportunities/future size of industry
Lower cost to patients and healthcare facilities
Telehealth can result in significantly lower costs and time commitments than traditional in-person meetings.[5] At the University of Michigan, a study found that on average patients travel a total of 110 miles to attend a clinic visit.[5] Many patients are forced to make a day out of this large time commitment and are forced to take time off work and hire babysitters.[5] By using telehealth, patients can meet with their doctors from anywhere and could not have to take time off of work.[5] Telehealth can provide cost savings to hospitals and healthcare offices.[5] Since some portion of patients would be meeting online with their doctors, the need for large waiting rooms would be reduced.[5] This will allow healthcare facilities to be smaller which will result in cost savings due to less overhead being spent on rooms and facilities for patients that do not need to be seen in person.[5]
High penetration in telepsychiatry
In July 2021, telehealth made up 50% of psychiatry.[12] In June 2021, 40% of appointments to a psychologist or psychiatrist were through telehealth, compared to only 37% in-person and 23% over the phone.[7] Experts believe that these high percentages could not only be sustained but could potentially grow in a post-pandemic world.[7] Experts believe that telepsychiatry has a high potential for growth due to its many benefits.[12] One benefit is the reduction in psychological barriers.[14] Some clients experience anxiety about leaving their homes to get therapy.[14] Telehealth allows these clients to stay in their homes, where they are more comfortable, which increases their chance of getting the therapy they need.[14] Researchers at the McLean OCD Institute also found that overall at their hospital they have seen an increase in the number of telepsychiatry appointments being retained and a reduction in cancelations.[15] The researchers believe that this is due to the elimination of travel and schedule barriers involved with in-person sessions.[15] Telehealth can help solve one of the major issues in the psychiatry industry which is the lack of psychiatrists in most areas.[7] In 56% of counties in the United States, there are no psychiatrists, and in 64% of counties there is a shortage of mental health providers.[7] In 70% of counties there are few child psychiatrists.[7] Experts believe that telepsychiatry could help solve this shortage by connecting patients with psychiatrists that are in other counties through the use of video conferencing.[7] Experts believe that because of the reduction in psychological barriers, its convenience, and the shortage of psychiatrists in counties, there is a potential for telepsychiatry to grow even more post-pandemic.[15] The global telepsychiatry industry was valued at $7.74 billion in 2020, and analysts believe that the industry will have a CAGR, compound annual growth rate, of 24.7% from 2020 to 2027.[16] Analysts predict that revenue will grow to $36.30 billion in 2027.[16] The pandemic's impact on everyone's lives has created a higher demand for telepsychiatry.[16] In March 2020, around 47% of Americans reported negative mental health effects from staying at home.[16] Out of those Americans, 21% reported major negative mental health due to the pandemic.[16] Due to the significant impact of the pandemic on the mental health of many Americans, it is believed that there will be a larger demand for mental health services.[16]
Substance abuse treatment
In July 2021, telehealth made up 30% of substance abuse treatment.[12] Experts believe that there could be substantial growth potential in substance abuse treatment for the telehealth industry.[15] Telehealth is convenient for patients and makes it easy for them to get the help that they need.[15] Telehealth has also been linked to higher treatment retention.[17] Studies have found that when telehealth video conferencing was incorporated into outpatient treatment programs, 88% of the patients kept their appointments as compared to only 77% that had solely in-person appointments.[17] Due to these benefits there is a potential for telehealth to increase their market share of the substance abuse segment of healthcare.
Tele rheumatology
In February 2021, 17% of outpatient and office visit claims relating to rheumatology were done through telehealth.[7] Clinicians believe that telehealth could play a role in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other symptoms associated with arthritis.[18] Even though clinicians believe that telehealth does not improve diagnosing rheumatologic conditions, they believe that telehealth can help with managing the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.[18] Clinicians consider gout, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis as the most appropriate to manage using telehealth.[18] Although clinicians believe that the use of tele rheumatology is dependent on the phase of care, they believe that it is vital to increasing the access of care for patients with arthritis.[18]
Present/future usage rate
As of July 2021, telehealth usage has stabilized at a level 38 times higher than before the pandemic.[7] Telehealth usage rate across all specialties has stabilized to around 13% to 17%.[7] While the usage rate has gone down since its peak during the pandemic, experts believe that telehealth will still play a major role in healthcare.[8] Experts predict that at least 20-30% of all healthcare will be provided through telehealth in 2021 and beyond.[8]
Future market size
Analysts are predicting a high amount of growth in the telehealth industry in the United States and globally.[19] In the United States, there are predictions that around $250 billions of Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial OP could become virtualized, which would represent 20% of the total market share.[7] Research analysts believe that the global market size of the telehealth industry will grow from $62.45 billion in 2020 to over $475.50 billion by 2026.[19]
References
- ^ a b "What is Telehealth". telehealth.hhs.gov. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ a b c "History of Information Communication Technology and Telehealth". ProQuest 1863562170. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ Miller, Edward Alan (2007). "Solving the disjuncture between research and practice: Telehealth trends in the 21st century". Health Policy. 82 (2): 133–141. doi:10.1016/j.healthpol.2006.09.011. PMID 17046097. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ "12 Best Telehealth Companies". Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Santosa, Katherine B.; Cederna, Paul S. (2021). "Commentary on: Trends and Challenges of Telehealth in an Academic Institution: The Unforeseen Benefits of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic". Aesthetic Surgery Journal. 41 (1): 119–121. doi:10.1093/asj/sjaa272. PMC 7665368. PMID 33079130. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "State of the Industry: Trends in Healthcare 2020" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Telehealth: A quarter-trillion-dollar post-COVID-19 reality?". Archived from the original on 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-01.
- ^ a b c "Predictions for Telehealth in 2021: We Cannot Wait for It!". Archived from the original on 2021-02-02. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ a b c d e f "How Covid-19 Reshaped The Telemedicine Market". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ "Study of 36.5M people reveals huge jump in pandemic telehealth use". 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-11-11. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
- ^ Cantor, Amy G.; Jungbauer, Rebecca M.; Totten, Annette M.; Tilden, Ellen L.; Holmes, Rebecca; Ahmed, Azrah; Wagner, Jesse; Hermesch, Amy C.; McDonagh, Marian S. (2022-09-20). "Telehealth Strategies for the Delivery of Maternal Health Care". Annals of Internal Medicine. 175 (9): 1285–1297. doi:10.7326/M22-0737. ISSN 0003-4819. PMID 35878405. S2CID 251067668.
- ^ a b c d e "A Fresh Perspective on Where Telehealth Growth Will Settle". Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Telehealth Growth = Expansion of Fraud & Abuse Enforcement" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ a b c "Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-09-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ a b c d e Sequeira, Alejandra; Alozie, Adaeze; Fasteau, Melissa; Lopez, Alicia K.; Sy, Jennifer; Turner, Karina A.; Werner, Cali; McIngvale, Elizabeth; Björgvinsson, Thröstur (2021). "Transitioning to virtual programming amidst COVID-19 outbreak". Counselling Psychology Quarterly. 34 (3–4): 538–553. doi:10.1080/09515070.2020.1777940. S2CID 225782415. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
- ^ a b c d e f "Telepsychiatry Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (In-home Solutions, Forensic Solutions), By Age Group, By End Use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027". Archived from the original on 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
- ^ a b Guillen, Aileen G.; Reddy, Minal; Saadat, Soheil; Chakravarthy, Bharath (2021). "Utilization of Telehealth Solutions for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder Using Buprenorphine: A Scoping Review". Telemedicine and e-Health. 28 (6): 761–767. doi:10.1089/tmj.2021.0308. PMID 34714172. S2CID 240154059.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d Matsumoto, Rachel A.; England, Bryant R.; Mastarone, Ginnifer; Richards, J Steuart; Chang, Elizabeth; Wood, Patrick R.; Barton, Jennifer L. (2020). "Rheumatology Clinicians' Perceptions of Telerheumatology Within the Veterans Health Administration: A National Survey Study". Military Medicine. 185 (11–12): e2082–e2087. doi:10.1093/milmed/usaa203. PMC 7772518. PMID 32789463. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
- ^ a b "Global Telehealth Market Size 2021 Rise at 26.5% CAGR, Will Reach USD 475.50 Billion By 2026: Facts & Factors". 29 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2021-10-21.