Outpatient telehealth services plateaued in 2019, according to a recent survey of physicians and healthcare administrators. Healthcare provider data analytics company Definitive Healthcare‘s 2019 Outpatient Telehealth Study found adoption rates holding steady at 44% of outpatient physician practices, the same rate as 2018.
Key takeaways from the study include increases in the use of two-way video applications, mobile concierge service applications, and clinical-grade remote patient monitoring devices.
Practices that implemented outpatient telehealth solutions rated their effectiveness above the midpoint on average, and higher than other solutions. Approximately two-thirds of practices that use telehealth technology intend to continue and increase their investment, most within 18 months.
While the study found physicians regarded outpatient telehealth to be effective, it also identified three challenges holding back further adoption: lack of clarity around reimbursement for telehealth services, a need for more EHR access to interoperable telehealth solutions, and better overall understanding of telehealth options.
