Adoption of telehealth solutions or services has surged in the last five years, according to a recent poll of healthcare provider executives conducted by data intelligence company Definitive Healthcare.
In this survey, Definitive Healthcare polled healthcare providers in the C-suite, as well as IT directors and vice presidents to determine telehealth adoption trends, technology, and services.
The data revealed that adoption of telehealth solutions or services has surged since this study was first conducted from roughly 54 percent in 2014 to 85 percent in 2019, indicating a higher level of acceptance and desire for telehealth solutions and services.
Specific technologies that have shown significant adoption gains were two-way video/webcam and the use of population management tools such as SMS text. Meanwhile, remote patient monitoring through clinical grade devices continues to show improved adoption rates but at a slower pace, according to the surveyors.
The research also disclosed that providers’ future plans for telehealth investments also have increased significantly since 2016, as 90 percent of future investment plans are slated to occur within the next 12 to 18 months. However, cost remains the primary barrier; competing for budgetary dollars continues to be the primary hurdle facing inpatient organizations, respondents acknowledged.
“These results represent the fifth iteration of our annual telehealth study. With healthcare moving from fee-for-service to value-based care and with the increased focus on population health, patient engagement and more personalized care delivery, telehealth solutions and services can help bridge numerous gaps that exist in the current healthcare landscape,” Jason Krantz, CEO of Definitive Healthcare said in a statement. “As healthcare organizations continue to expand their reach to patients and fellow providers, we anticipate that telemedicine will serve an increasingly important role.”
To this point, a recent survey on telehealth user experience from marketing services company J.D. Power found that nearly three-fourths of Americans said they either don’t have access or are unaware of telehealth options. Overall, just 10 percent of respondents in that survey said they have used telehealth services.
Definitive Healthcare's data and analytics platform tracks thousands of hospitals and hundreds of IDNs throughout the U.S., allowing users to view inpatient telehealth implementations, RFPs, and certificates of need—and identify which specific hospitals are looking to install or purchase these technologies, its officials say.
