Kyruus recently surveyed 1,000 patients about their virtual care experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal that nearly three-quarters of the respondents engaged in their first telemedicine experience ever during the initial surge of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and more than 75 percent were very or completely satisfied with their virtual care experience.
The survey examined patients’ experiences accessing virtual care, their sentiment around the visits themselves, and their demand for virtual care in the future Not only did most participants say they had a positive experience with telehealth, but half of them said they would be willing to switch providers to have virtual visits on a regular basis.
The Kyruus survey also uncovered two key areas of improvement for healthcare organizations: meeting patient demand for online scheduling (54 percent would prefer it) and enhancing post-visit communication. In terms of communication, less than half of the respondents said they left their visits knowing what the next steps were and less than one-third received written or email follow-up. These are just two of several gaps the survey responses revealed around patient follow-up after virtual visits.
Other key findings include:
- Patients most commonly had virtual visits for routine and ongoing care in recent months.
- Patients want to utilize virtual care for a broad range of ends moving forward.
- Patients conveyed high demand for online scheduling.
- Despite high demand for virtual care, awareness about how to access it is relatively low.
- Patients still plan to use virtual care even if they have to pay out of pocket.
“The strain that COVID-19 placed on patient access propelled an unprecedented rise in virtual carte availability and adoption,” said Kyruus Chief Medical Officer Dr. Erin Jospe. “This survey shows that patients have not only embraced it as a short-term alternative to in-person visits, but that they also now seek it as a permanent part of their healthcare. As healthcare organizations correspondingly expand their virtual care offerings, it will be essential to drive awareness of them across channels, diversify booking options, and ensure more closed-loop experiences.”
Kyruus engaged Wakefield Research to conduct the survey of 1,000 patients ranging in age from 18 to 65 or older, in May 2020. All respondents participated in one virtual care visit—specifically, a video-based medical appointment—between February and May of 2020.
Read the original press release here.