JD Power Survey Shows Consumers Embrace Telehealth

More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents say they've used telehealth in the past year, up from 37% in 2019.

Consumers are embracing the convenience and accessibility of telehealth for "routine" medical care and mental health services in nearly twice the numbers seen in pre-pandemic 2019, a new survey shows.

The J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study, released Thursday, found that 67% of 4,306 consumers surveyed in June and July reported using telehealth within the past year, up from 37% in 2019.

And the vast majority (94%) of consumers who used telehealth in the past 12 months say they "definitely will" or "probably will" use telehealth to receive medical services in the future.

"Telehealth and digital technologies are transforming how patients seek and receive healthcare," says Christopher Lis, Troy, MI-based J.D. Power's managing director of global healthcare intelligence.

"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," Lis says.

"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."

A strong majority of consumers say they prefer telehealth for "routine care", such as prescription refills (80%), medication review (72%), test result consultations (71%), and mental health visits (57%).

Nearly two-thirds of consumers (61%) say that convenience is the top reason why they use telehealth, along with faster access to care (49%) and ease of access to health information (28%).

While the use of telehealth is gaining ground, the survey found that consumers still demand digital face time with clinicians, both to ensure care quality and to resolve medical concerns.

Among telehealth providers, LiveHealth Online ranks highest in telehealth satisfaction among direct-to-consumer brands, with a score of 869, followed by Doctor on Demand (864) ranks and eVisit (862). Among payers that provide telehealth services, Humana ranks highest with a score of
862, followed by Aetna (855). The segment average is 852.

The J.D. Power survey, now in its fourth year, measures customer satisfaction with telehealth service experience based on customer service (42%); consultation (28%); enrollment (19%); and billing and payment (11%).