68 Telehealth Statistics

Telehealth has permanently reshaped ambulatory care. While utilization has moderated from the pandemic peak, adoption rates remain nearly three times higher than pre-COVID-19 levels, and the operational and clinical evidence is now robust enough to support a sweeping fact-based overview. 

Curated by TempDev, the 68 statistics below synthesize findings from peer‑reviewed research, federal datasets (CMS, CDC, HRSA), leading professional surveys (AMA, Doximity, J.D. Power, CHIME), and market intelligence firms, with each data point selected for factual verifiability and practical relevance to NextGen ambulatory practices and their patient populations.

How Have Physicians Adopted Telehealth Since 2018?

Findings show telehealth evolved from a niche tool into a standard ambulatory care channel, with physician adoption nearly tripling post-COVID-19.

1. 71.4% of U.S. physicians reported using telehealth in their practices weekly in 2024, up from just 25.1% in 2018, representing nearly a tripling of pre-pandemic levels.

2. Physician telehealth adoption surged from 15.4% in 2019 to 86.5% in 2021, driven by necessity during COVID-19 and sustained by patient demand and regulatory flexibility.

3. 93% of healthcare organizations now offer telehealth services, according to CHIME's 2024 Most Wired Survey, making it a near-universal component of healthcare delivery infrastructure.

4. 87% of healthcare organizations integrate remote patient monitoring (RPM) into treatment plans, according to the same 2024 CHIME Most Wired Survey.

5. 95% of HRSA-funded health centers used telehealth to provide primary care in 2024, per the Health Resources and Services Administration's Uniform Data System.

6. Psychiatrists are the most frequent telehealth users: 85.9% provided a video visit in the week prior to the survey. When measured by intensity, 56.9% used video visits alone for more than 20% of their weekly patient visits, and 68.2% used video or audio-only telehealth combined for more than 20% of weekly visits — the highest share of any specialty (AMA 2024 Policy Research Perspectives).

7. More medical specialists (27.4%) used telemedicine for 50% or more of their patient visits than either primary care physicians or surgical specialists, per a CDC analysis.

8. 76.7% of primary care physicians and 73.1% of medical specialists report the ability to deliver similar quality of care via telemedicine to some or a great extent, compared with 50.6% of surgical specialists.

9. 3.7% of telehealth-eligible physician service spending was billed as telehealth in 2024, with psychiatrists accounting for the highest share at 31.2% (AMA Medicare claims analysis).

How Are Patients Using Telehealth Today, and Who Uses It Most?

Data shows telehealth has stabilized at a durable share of visits, remaining far above pre-pandemic levels.

10. By 2023, telehealth stabilized at approximately 4–5% of all U.S. office-based and outpatient healthcare visits. This is a significant increase from the sub-1% pre-pandemic baseline and reflects a substantial normalization from the 2020–2021 pandemic peak.

11. Certain analyses estimated telehealth accounted for as much as 13–17% of visits during peak surge periods

12. Nearly 3 million Medicare beneficiaries (2,751,044) utilized telehealth in Q1 2024, according to the CMS Medicare Telehealth Trends Report.

13. n 2024, 25% of Medicare fee-for-service users received at least one telehealth service. That rate remained unchanged from 2023, signaling sustained demand among older patients.

14. More than half of Americans prefer telehealth over traditional doctor visits. Gen Z leads adoption at 60%, followed by Millennials and Gen X at 53%. Baby Boomers report the lowest preference at 38%.

15. Women use telemedicine more frequently than men. CDC data showed usage rates of 42% for women versus 31.7% for men in 2021. A 2020–2023 national trends study also found women had 37% higher odds of telehealth use.

16. Patients most commonly use telehealth for minor or acute illnesses, which account for 32% of visits. Chronic disease management represents 21% of visits, followed by mental health or substance abuse at 17% and annual exams at 16% (HINTS 6 survey data).

17. National telehealth utilization increased 6.13% between July and December 2024. Telehealth claim lines rose from 4.74% to 5.04% during that period, according to FAIR Health.

18. In 2023, 14.2% of children and adolescents ages 0–17 used telemedicine within the past year. That figure declined from 18.3% in 2021. Usage rates increased with age across pediatric groups (CDC MMWR 2024).

How Satisfied Are Patients and Clinicians With Telehealth Visits?

Evidence shows high telehealth satisfaction, with users citing convenience and rating quality comparable to in-person care.

19. 89% of telehealth users report satisfaction with their most recent visit, and that number has never dropped below 86% in four consecutive years of tracking (Public Opinion Strategies 2024 National Telehealth Survey).

20. 75% of telehealth users say the quality of care they received was comparable to in-person care (JMIR 2024 cross-sectional study using HINTS survey data).

21. 80.5% of telehealth users report experiencing no technical problems during their virtual visit, and 83.7% report no privacy concerns (JMIR 2024).

22. 65% of consumers cite convenience as the top reason for using telehealth, while 46% cite the ability to receive care quickly (J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study).

23. 74% of consumers who had a positive experience with telehealth medication review said they would use the service again, compared with 58% who had a difficult experience (J.D. Power 2024).

24. 84% of physician telehealth users report that telemedicine has increased patient satisfaction, with the figure rising to 88% among oncologists (Doximity 2024 State of Telemedicine Report).

25. 47.4% of telehealth patients reported being very satisfied with their telemedicine visits, and another 35.3% reported being satisfied, in a 2022 nationwide patient preference study (JMIR 2024).

26. 67% of physicians say telehealth has contributed to better disease management for their patients; this figure rises to 77% among oncologists (Doximity 2024).

How Do Telehealth Visits Affect No-Show Rates and Appointment Completion?

Studies show that virtual visits substantially reduce no‑shows and increase appointment completion across multiple settings and modalities.

27. The no-show rate for telemedicine appointments is 12%, compared with 25% for in-person appointments, a 52% relative reduction.

28. A meta-analysis of 45 retrospective cohort studies found telemedicine associated with a 39% reduced likelihood of non-attendance compared to in-person care (OR=0.61), with robust results confirmed by Fail-Safe N analysis (BMC Health Services Research 2025).

29. Telemedicine appointments are associated with 64% higher odds of completion vs. in-person appointments, after adjusting for demographics, payment type, comorbidity, and distance (USF cohort study of 87,376 matched appointments, 2021–2023).

30. Phone visits reduce the odds of no-show by 50% (aOR 0.50) and video visits by 15% (aOR 0.85) compared to in-person visits (J Telemed Telecare, 2024 study of 3.1 million scheduled appointments).

31. One academic psychiatry clinic saw its overall no-show rate fall from 18.1% pre-pandemic to 15.3% during the pandemic after transitioning to telehealth, across 13,251 scheduled visits.

What Is the Financial Impact of Telehealth for Payers, Patients, and Health Systems?

Cost analyses show telehealth visits are cheaper than in-person care, especially when emergency department visits are avoided.

32. Telemedicine visits cost five times less than in-person appointments for common conditions. Mean episode charges reached $96.60 via telehealth versus $509.21 in person. This created a cost difference of $412.62. Researchers analyzed 163,308 healthcare encounters across five Penn Medicine hospitals between January and April 2024 (Zhang et al., JAMA Network Open, February 2026).

33. Telehealth episodes were also associated with 23% fewer follow-up visits within 30 days.

34. Telehealth can save $19 to $121 per visit compared to other care settings (Jefferson Health analysis, AMA 2024).

35. Each telehealth visit that successfully diverts an emergency department visit generates cost savings ranging from $309 to $1,546. This represents the primary source of telehealth's financial benefit (Jefferson Health/AMA study).

36. Telehealth users save an average of $1,814 in total medical costs per year compared to non-users. Savings included $208.80 less in ED costs and $1,574 less in inpatient admission costs (PMC MarketScan cohort study, 2024).

37. A Cigna study of 40,000 beneficiaries found telehealth users had 17% lower healthcare costs. Emergency department use also declined 36% per 1,000 people compared to non-virtual care users.

38. An Anthem Medicare Advantage study found 6% savings, or $242 per episode, by redirecting members from the ED to telehealth. The study also found reductions in imaging, lab tests, and antibiotic prescribing.

39. CMS estimated telemedicine saves Medicare patients $60 million annually in travel costs. Projections reach $100 million by 2024 and $170 million by 2029. Some estimates project savings as high as $540 million by 2029.

How Fast Is Remote Patient Monitoring Growing, and Where Is It Headed?

Remote patient monitoring utilization has surged, with Medicare-billed services and payments increasing dramatically over the past several years.

40. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) services increased by over 3,334% between 2019 and 2023. Services grew from 160,595 to 5,515,442 during that period. RPM payments increased 2,887% over the same timeframe (PMC 2025 Medicare analysis).

41. RPM generated $255.4 million in Medicare payments in 2023. That figure was just $8.5 million in 2019, representing a 2,887% increase in four years (PMC 2025, JAMIA).

42. Primary care clinicians account for 48% of all RPM services. This makes them the leading RPM providers across specialties.

43. More than 71 million Americans use some form of RPM service as of 2025. That represents 26% of the U.S. population. Global RPM users are expected to reach 115.5 million by 2027.

44. The remote patient monitoring market was valued at $44.8 billion in 2024. It is projected to reach $88 billion by 2030, growing at a 12% CAGR (Wissen Research).

45. As of Fall 2024, 42 state Medicaid programs reimburse RPM services. Five states added RPM reimbursement between Fall 2023 and Fall 2024.

Why Is Telehealth So Central to Behavioral and Mental Health Care?

Claims data show behavioral health now accounts for the majority of many telehealth encounter volumes, far outpacing primary care.

46. Behavioral health represented 67% of all telehealth encounters among commercially insured patients in 2024. This made it the dominant use case for virtual care by a wide margin (Trilliant Health/Behavioral Health Business).

47. Before the pandemic, telehealth accounted for just 2.1% of outpatient mental health claims. During the pandemic, that share surged to 54.4%. Post-pandemic, utilization stabilized at 42.9% (Medicare beneficiary analysis, PMC 2026).

48. General anxiety was the most common mental health diagnosis treated via telehealth in 2023, accounting for 18% of all visits. Depression followed at 9%, with PTSD at 6% and adjustment disorders at 5% (CIVHC 2025 analysis)

49. At LifeStance Health, one of the nation’s largest outpatient mental health providers, approximately 70% of visits are conducted via telehealth. The company operates more than 550 locations across 33 states.

50. Behavioral health telehealth visits declined from nearly 50 million in 2023 to fewer than 40 million in 2024. This reflects a broader normalization trend, although visit volumes remain well above pre-pandemic levels.

How Does Telehealth Improve Chronic Disease Management and Outcomes?

Clinical studies link telehealth monitoring and follow-up to improved blood pressure and blood glucose control in chronic disease patients.

51. According to the Doximity 2024 State of Telemedicine Report, 84% of physician telehealth users say telemedicine improves continuity of care for chronic or complex conditions.

52. Patients with chronic illnesses are significantly more likely to use telehealth: 64% of kidney disease patients, 63% of immunocompromised patients, and 59% of lung disease patients used telehealth in the most recent national tracking data (NHIS 2020–2023 analysis).

53. More than half of endocrinologists and oncologists reported better patient adherence through telemedicine, at 56% and 55%, respectively. Additionally, 55% of primary care physicians observed improved adherence, and none reported declines (Doximity 2024).

How Does Telehealth Intersect With Workforce Shortages, Access, and Equity?

Findings reveal that broadband gaps and rural location still limit who can benefit from telehealth, even as coverage expands. 

54. Adults in rural areas were 42% less likely to use telemedicine than their metropolitan counterparts during the pandemic, reflecting persistent geographic barriers even when telehealth is available.

55. Rural hospitals have the lowest likelihood of possessing telehealth systems, with the rural-urban disparity in telehealth adoption attributed to 65% of access-related gaps (NIH systematic review).

56. 14.5 million Americans lack access to broadband internet, with 22.3% of rural residents and 27.7% of Americans in tribal lands lacking high-speed internet, compared to just 1.5% in urban areas.

57. Counties with the greatest broadband availability had 47% higher telehealth utilization than counties with the least broadband access, with a 1 standard deviation increase in broadband access associated with a 1.54 percentage point increase in telehealth utilization (Social Needs Investment Lab).

58. In 2024, HRSA estimated that the supply of physicians and registered nurses only met 90% of total demand, with projected shortfalls by 2037 of 187,130 physicians and 207,980 registered nurses nationally.

59. By 2037, HRSA projects that nonmetro areas will face a 60% shortage of physicians, while metro areas face a 10% shortage.

How Are EHR Workflows, Documentation, and AI Evolving Around Telehealth?

Poorly integrated telehealth can increase EHR workload. Ambient AI and improved workflows are beginning to reverse that trend. Early studies show reduced documentation time and lower burnout with integrated virtual visits and AI scribes.

60. Fully telemedicine physician-weeks were associated with higher total EHR time (+3.2 hours at Washington University, +1.4 hours at UCSF per 8 patient-scheduled hours) compared to non-telemedicine weeks, highlighting the need for EHR workflow optimization for virtual care (JAMIA 2025).

61. Physicians spend between 34% and 55% of their workday on clinical documentation and EMR review, a leading driver of burnout in ambulatory practice.

62. Using ambient AI scribes reduced physician burnout odds by 74% after just one month of use (Yale School of Medicine study, 2025).

63. Clinicians using ambient AI scribes spent 8.5% less total time in the EHR, with more than a 15% reduction in time spent composing notes (UChicago Medicine study); those using AI scribes for 50%+ of visits saw twice the reduction in total EHR time.

What Do Reimbursement, Policy Changes, and Market Growth Mean for Telehealth’s Future?

Market projections and recent policy updates point to continued expansion of telehealth. Medicaid coverage growth and Medicare additions are driving adoption. Separate payment pathways are also supporting long-term growth.

64. The global telehealth market reached $123.26 billion in 2024. It is projected to grow to $455.27 billion by 2030 at a 24.68% CAGR (Grand View Research).

65. .The U.S. telehealth market is projected to grow from $51.40 billion in 2025 to $83.63 billion by 2030. This represents a CAGR of 10.2% (MarketsandMarkets, 2026).

66. The pediatric telehealth market was valued at $36.3 billion in 2024. It is projected to reach $149.0 billion by 2030 at a 26.6% CAGR (Grand View Research).

67. s of Fall 2025, 46 states and DC reimburse audio-only telehealth through Medicaid programs. That number increased from 45 states and DC in Fall 2024 (CCHP State Telehealth Report).

68. 40 state Medicaid programs reimburse for store-and-forward telehealth as of Fall 2025 (CCHP).