A new study titled JD Power 2022 US Telehealth Satisfaction Study has been released. The study portrays the prevalence of telehealth in 2022 and its continued place in society following the global pandemic. The utilization of telehealth grew exponentially in 2020 due to restrictions implemented on in person healthcare appointments. The survey was conducted in the summer of 2022, interviewing 4,306 individuals between June and July. Of these individuals, nearly seventy percent stated that they had availed of telehealth services in the previous twelve months which increased from thirty seven percent when previously asked in 2019. 94% of individuals who had used telehealth in the previous year indicated that they would use telehealth again in the future. Telehealth was the preferred mode of delivery in several fields of healthcare for those who had used it in the last year. Eighty percent of respondents said they preferred telemedicine for discussing test results, seventy two percent for assessing current and future medication options, and seventy one percent for refilling prescriptions. Various reasons were provided by respondents to explain their desire to use telehealth including:
- 61 percent of respondents stated they liked the convenience of telehealth
- 49 percent mentioned the speed of care as an incentive to use telehealth
- 28 percent of respondents preferred the ease of accessing required health information when availing of telehealth services
Christopher Lis, managing director of global healthcare intelligence at J.D. Power commented on the current state of telehealth: “Telehealth and digital technologies are transforming how patients seek and receive healthcare. “Telehealth has the potential to increase access, convenience, care coordination and continuity, improve outcomes, and fill in gaps in provider coverage, particularly in underserved areas. As technology adoption and consumer demand continue to increase, it will be important to keep evaluating what’s working well and which areas need improvement, with the aim being to improve equitable access, quality of care and patient outcomes that complement in-person care.”
These findings follow several studies carried out earlier in 2022 that portrayed the ongoing prevalence of telehealth. Two studies were released to the public in March this year, one detailing an increased comfortability and preference to use telehealth for mental health appointments. The other study illustrated the satisfaction of pediatric orthopedic patients with telehealth services.
