The pandemic has forced healthcare organizations to rely heavily on telehealth services. In 2020, virtual visits accounted for more than a quarter of all outpatient visits in the U.S., and they’ve been steadily increasing since then. But there is a flip side to this trend. Recent data shows that telehealth is declining in healthcare, which could create a burden for both healthcare systems and patients. Let’s take a look at why this is happening and what can be done about it.
Reasons behind the decline
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There are several factors driving the decline in telehealth utilization in healthcare settings. One reason is cost — many insurance companies are not covering telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits, which can make them less attractive to patients. Additionally, some providers who use telemedicine platforms do not receive reimbursement for their services, creating an additional financial burden on them. Another issue is access — not everyone has easy access to internet or the technology necessary for virtual doctor’s appointments, so they may be unable to take advantage of telemedicine services even if they want to.
The impact of telehealth decline
The decline in telehealth utilization could have a significant impact on both healthcare systems and patients alike. For healthcare systems, it could mean increased costs associated with providing care as well as decreased efficiency due to longer wait times for appointments or increased no-show rates if patients are unable to access or afford their care via virtual means. For patients, it could mean worse health outcomes due to lack of timely care or difficulty accessing specialty care when needed due to long waiting lists or geographical distance from providers offering those specialty services virtually.
Way forward
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In order for telemedicine services to remain viable options for both healthcare systems and patients going forward, it’s important that insurance companies cover these services at parity with in-person visits. Additionally, providers should be reimbursed fairly for their efforts when offering these services so that they can continue providing them without financial strain on their practices. Finally, access needs to be improved so that all individuals have the opportunity to take advantage of virtual doctor’s appointments regardless of their financial situation or technological capabilities.
Telehealth has been an essential tool during the pandemic but recent data shows that its utilization is decreasing as we move into 2023 and beyond. This decrease could lead to increased costs and decreased efficiency for healthcare systems as well as decreased access and poorer health outcomes for patients if nothing is done about it soon. In order for telemedicine services remain viable options going forward, insurance companies must cover them at parity with in-person visits; providers must be compensated fairly; and access must be improved so that everyone can benefit from these vital tools regardless of financial situation or technological capabilities.
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Smriti Kirubanandan is a Growth and Strategic Partnerships Executive. Passionate about driving growth across all industries in North America, she specializes in creating high-impact strategic partnerships that transcend industry verticals. As a trusted leader, she fosters executive relationships and cultivates partnerships at the convergence of emerging technology, innovation, and empathy. She integrates Go-to-Market (GTM) strategies, technology, and innovative solutions to elevate growth trajectories and expand market presence. She also spearheads brand development, thought leadership, and market research.
Smriti was selected as a Young Global Leader 2023 by the World Economic Forum, a member of the Young Leaders Circle at the Milken Institute, and the Founder of the HLTH Forward Podcast. This award-winning media platform hosts healthcare leaders, policymakers, and artists to discuss the challenges in the system and what we could do collectively to move healthcare forward.
An empathetic and innovative strategic policy advisor has helped organizations globally build the capacity to empower people to engage in wellness programs and is responsible for educating small farmers in Africa to lift them out of poverty to improve food & and nutrition insecurity, impacting 2 million people annually. In 2022, Smriti was appointed to serve the Los Angeles County food equity round table as a Nutrition and policy Advisor to design and strategize programs to address food insecurity by educating and improving access and affordability to nutritious food and appointed to the Board at Akshaya Patra Foundation, World's most prominent NGO feeding 2 million kids/day. Smriti has shared her thought leadership across many national forums.
She gained her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering focussed on Robotics (BSCEN), followed by her Masters in Engineering Management (MSEM) from USC and Masters in Public Health (MPH) from UCLA. She is also a certified Raw Vegan Chef and Nutritionist. She serves the World Food Bank and Nourish CA board and is in a Fellowship at the American College of Healthcare Executives.
