Lessons Learned About Telemedicine from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Treating people with COVID-19 virtually—rather than in person—can help the strain on healthcare providers and facilities while safely managing the disease. Research has shown that telemedicine has offered a path to relief for healthcare providers, clinics, and hospitals across the U.S.

Telemedicine is a way for healthcare providers to treat you virtually. You can use your phone or laptop to contact a healthcare provider. Remotely monitoring sick people can effectively treat symptoms and prevent unnecessary hospitalization.

Telemedicine is the use of two-way communication technology, such as video chats and texting, to provide care remotely. This practice was less common before the COVID pandemic began in 2020, especially among people whose conditions warranted in-person monitoring.

Various developments have altered the landscape and brought about a significant uptick in acceptance of this type of care. Social distancing required more widespread use of telemedicine. Data from the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company showed that telehealth usage was 38 times higher than before the pandemic's outbreak.

The University of Iowa Health Care system launched a telemedicine program in March 2020. The program closely monitored people infected with COVID remotely to prevent strain on the hospital.

The frequency of visits was based on how people fare and their risk for severe illness. 'I could see a patient down the hall and a remote patient and have a better idea of who needs to come to the hospital,' Andrew Bryant, MD, a clinical assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, told Health.

The virtual visits with a healthcare provider stopped after people met the past guidelines for the discontinuation of isolation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previously advised that you end isolation 10 days after receiving a positive test or developing symptoms and having no fever for 24 hours.

The program helped prevent hospitalization and, ultimately, protected hospital resources. More than 1,100 people enrolled in the home monitoring program, and only 6.2% of people—most of whom were identified as high-risk—were hospitalized over a three-and-a-half-month period. About 1.2% required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Telemedicine has been shown to increase access to healthcare, manage the spread of disease, and reduce costs. It's also a convenient option for people who live in rural areas or can't easily travel to see a healthcare provider in person.

Research has shown that telemedicine helped reduce the spread of COVID, partly by eliminating the time you spend in a waiting room. You may be at risk of spreading or contracting an infectious disease, such as COVID or the flu, when you are near others. Telemedicine allows you to easily socially distance yourself from others, which is especially helpful for older adults or those with a weak immune system.

There's been increased acceptance of this approach among healthcare providers, along with increased consumer willingness to engage in telehealth. Regulatory changes enabled greater access to this kind of treatment during the COVID pandemic.

The pandemic allowed hybrid virtual/in-person care models to improve access to healthcare and affordability. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expanded its reimbursable telehealth codes for healthcare providers. Medicare and Medicaid will cover telehealth services through December 31, 2024. Only rural areas in the U.S. will maintain coverage for most telehealth services this date.

Telemedicine can reduce several costs associated with in-person visits. Research has shown that people who see healthcare providers remotely have decreased childcare costs and travel expenses. You may also be able to easily schedule a telehealth appointment so that you don't miss work or school.

Research has shown that telemedicine helps people access care earlier, reducing the risk of severe illness that requires hospitalization. A review published in 2021 found that telehealth services can decrease hospitalization by as much as 23.4%.

Remotely monitoring mildly or moderately ill people also frees up beds in hospitals for those who are severely ill or require in-person monitoring. This helps reduce the strain on healthcare providers and facilities.

Telemedicine may have some disadvantages compared to in-person visits. It requires access to costly equipment, doesn't allow for certain diagnostic or preventative services, and may not be covered by all insurance plans. It also may raise privacy concerns or technical issues.

Telemedicine may be expensive or inaccessible for people who don't have insurance. A study published in 2023 also found that low-income communities may have lower access to telehealth services. The researchers also found that people who were unemployed were 15% less likely to use telehealth services than those who were employed.

Telehealth services vary by state. Some states, for example, require that you visit a healthcare provider in person for prescription medications. Research has shown that some insurance plans don't cover telehealth services if your healthcare provider is located out of state. These regulations and restrictions can create barriers for some people.

Healthcare providers can't administer certain services virtually. You must have an in-person visit for blood tests, imaging tests, and physical exams. These are essential diagnostic tests that can rule out and confirm various conditions. Research has shown that misdiagnoses are more common virtually than in person.

Data is not always secure if you use personal or public Wi-Fi networks to see a healthcare provider virtually. It's possible that third parties may be able to access or sell your health information. You use your personal phone or laptop to use telehealth services and see a healthcare provider in a private, secure location.

Some evidence suggests that telemedicine may be less accessible to older adults and those who have cognitive difficulties. Older adults might have less knowledge about technology, for example, than younger adults.

The telemedicine model worked well for the COVID pandemic. People might increasingly prefer the option to manage their conditions outside of a hospital setting.

Healthcare providers can use telemedicine to manage other respiratory infections and health conditions, such as asthma and heart failure. It's a way to monitor people for specific diseases and keep them out of the hospital. However, for these types of chronic conditions, it is still important that patients are also seen for in-person visits and not totally reliant on telehealth.

Healthcare providers could send people home with or deliver equipment, for example, to monitor oxygen levels. People can also use scales at home that alert healthcare providers about fluid retention, which is a sign of heart failure.

Telemedicine helped manage the spread of COVID during the pandemic. Healthcare providers were able to treat and monitor people virtually, which helped reduce hospitalization. They can continue to use telehealth services to treat people with chronic conditions, such as asthma or heart failure.

This technology can increase access to healthcare for people in rural areas and may be cost-effective. It may still limit some aspects of care and pose privacy concerns, so more action is needed to develop telemedicine.

The information in this story is accurate as of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.