According to a recent Software Advice survey, patients are very interested in telemedicine and use it as a metric to select their physicians. Software Advice asked 400 patients about their interest in video conferencing as a replacement for in-person doctor visits and the results were telling:
- 77 percent of patients report being more likely to select medical providers that offer telemedicine
- 51 percent of patients enjoy the convenience and comfort of consulting a professional from the comfort of their home
While patients report being interested in telemedicine, according to a Sermo poll 81 percent of doctors are not seeing an increase in the number of patients who request Telemedicine.
What is causing this disconnect?
The Software Advice survey shows a potential reason for the disconnect between interest in telemedicine and adoption of use: 72 percent of patients are uncertain if they’re covered for telemedicine.
This lack of awareness speaks volumes to the limited amount of information shared by insurance providers, and it implies a huge opportunity loss. Although telehealth holds incredible promise to increase quality and accessibility of healthcare, its progress is currently being hindered by the lack of awareness surrounding its coverage under major insurances.
Are you a physician? Log into Sermo today to discuss best practices surrounding telehealth.
