Telehealth usage surged and then, predictably, cooled. What’s left years later is a narrower but more durable pattern of use, according to a review of claims data from several regional health systems.
Routine follow-ups, medication management, and mental health counseling have remained reliably virtual, with patients and providers alike reporting high satisfaction for these categories. New-patient visits and anything requiring a physical exam, by contrast, have largely reverted to in-person care.
Provider groups say the biggest lasting change isn’t the technology itself but scheduling flexibility — virtual slots fill gaps that would otherwise go unused, letting clinics see more patients without adding physical space.
Reimbursement policy remains the biggest wildcard. Several temporary provisions that expanded telehealth billing are still subject to periodic renewal, and health system administrators say uncertainty over the rules makes long-term investment in virtual care infrastructure harder to justify.