A looming physician shortage, an increasing need to deliver care in the most cost-effective way possible and the availability of new technology has led to the growing use of telehealth across the country.
Here are five things to know about the growing telehealth market.
- 52 percent of U.S. healthcare organizations offer some kind of telehealth service.
- The global telehealth market is expected to grow tenfold between 2013 and 2018, from $440.6 million to $4.5 billion. Almost half of the global telehealth market, $2 billion, will be generated in the U.S., according to Forbes.
- Telehealth has the potential to reduce costs, decrease lengths of stay and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations.
- Younger, richer and newer patients are the most likely to use telehealth services, according to Health Affairs.
- The three most common barriers to healthcare organizations adopting telehealth services include physician licensing restrictions, the lack of set reimbursement structures and uncertainty about legal liability.
More Articles on Telehealth:
Telehealth Implementation Can Be Disruptive to Nurses, Study Finds
Study: 6 Key Dimensions for Evaluating Telehealth Programs
Study: 7 Different Federal Definitions of Telehealth