Emerging Virtual Care Trends
| ① There is more patient utilization. Nearly half, 43.5%, of Medicare primary care visits in April 2020 were made using telehealth. This number will rise in 2021. |
| ② There is an increase in chronic management. Telehealth provides convenience to patients, especially those with chronic conditions, who meet with their doctor regularly. |
| ③ There has been a major focus on mental health. Through telehealth, patients can access mental health resources—including counselors and psychiatrists—regardless of where they live. |
| ④ Companies are looking to provide more comprehensive services all in one place. There has been a greater user experience. This means an online portal that utilizes technology like chatbots, video, calendar scheduling, and text messaging. |
| ⑤ There has been an integration of data sharing within the telehealth world. Some telehealth apps are now integrating with other fitness apps. This integration allows the app to access data such as heart rates and daily steps from a user’s smartphone. |
Virtual care trends have been increasingly accepted as a means of efficient delivery of health care services. Events like the COVID pandemic accelerated its acceptance and revealed significant opportunities for employers to leverage virtual care to help employees manage chronic conditions while also reducing the employer’s benefit plan costs.
We have seen many vendors provide these services that are available to you and your employees.