Over 30 percent of U.S. residents have used telehealth in the last 12 months, continuing a pandemic era trend that does not seem to be going away, according to a Dec. 16 report from the American Medical Association.
Here are seven trends in telehealth that orthopedic physicians should know:
1. Telehealth is more widely used among patients aged 65 and older. While 29.4 percent of 18-29 year olds have used telehealth in the last 12 months, that number rises to 35.3 percent of 30-44 year olds, 38.8 percent of 45-64 year olds and 43.3 percent of those 65 and older.
2. Women are more likely to use telehealth than men. While 42 percent of women used it in the last 12 months, that number goes down to 31.7 percent for men.
3. American Indian and Alaska Native populations have benefited from telehealth in the last 12 months, with 40.6 percent using it at some point. About 39.2 percent of white adults have used telehealth, followed by 33.1 percent of Black adults, 33 percent of Asian adults and 32.8 percent of Hispanic adults.
4. Patients with college degrees are more likely to use telehealth. About 43.2 percent of college educated patients used it in the last 12 months, compared to 39 percent of patients with some college, 30.3 percent of high school graduates and 28.7 percent of patients without a high school diploma.
5. Households with higher incomes use telemedicine at higher rates. About 40.7 percent of households with an income 400 percent above the federal poverty line have used telehealth in the last 12 months, compared to 33.1 percent of adults below the federal poverty line.
6. In large metropolitan areas, 40.3 percent of adults have used telehealth in the last 12 months, compared to 35.4 percent in medium metropolitan areas and 27.5 percent in non-core areas.
7. Adults living in the Western U.S. are more likely to use telehealth than other regions. About 42.4 percent of adults living in the West have used telehealth in the last 12 months, compared to 40 percent in the Northeast, 34.3 percent in the South and 33.3 percent in the Midwest.