The COVID-19 pandemic brought telehealth options to the front and center when in-person care options became limited due to shutdowns. As the pandemic situation has stabilized, telehealth has remained popular with many people. Options from direct-to-consumer companies such as Teledoc or American Well, were more prevalent prior to the pandemic, but patient demand led hospitals, health systems and provider practices to develop their own telehealth platforms. 

A recent survey from Morning Consult found that while over half of the survey respondents continue to prefer in-person visits to telehealth visits, most patients using telehealth services prefer to use services provided by their doctor or health plan. Of the survey respondents:

• 72% used virtual appointments through their doctor or health plan
• 17% used on-demand health services
• 11% used both types of telehealth services

Telehealth users generally report high satisfaction with their experience, with 90% reporting their experience being either very or somewhat friendly, easy affordable and comfortable. About 40% say the payment process for their virtual visit was easier than for in-person visits.