Trends identified in the survey

Using surveys of five Michigan counties, the new report identified several findings about telehealth usage. They include:

The share of households that went online to interact with health care providers rose significantly, from 34% in 2019 to 54% of households in 2021.
Adults aged 54 and younger, as well as households with children, were the most likely to interact with health care providers online.
The most popular way to interact online with health care providers was via email, followed by interacting on the provider's website, in video meetings, and through texting.
Nearly 3 out of 10 households (29%) said that seeking health information online saved them trips to a health care provider's office in the prior 12 months. On average, those households saved an average of 4.02 trips, for a total of 69,602 fewer visits over one year.
In five counties surveyed, telehealth usage represented a savings of nearly $13.6 million in one year, simply for 15-minute visits to general practitioners.
More than 2 out of 5 telehealth users (42%) started using telehealth tools less than 12 months ago. Three out of 10 (30%) said that concerns about COVID-19 had a major effect on their decision.

Patients were increasingly comfortable with telehealth

The study also found that those surveyed were increasingly comfortable with telehealth as time went on. The use of online provider services has traditionally raised some concerns, including data privacy, internet access, insurance coverage, and others. But the survey showed that the number of people expressing concern over those topics decreased over time.

Instant Insights /

Even patients in rural areas can save with telehealth

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