Experts have highlighted telehealth's potential to assist rural patients who may not otherwise have conventinet access to healthcare services, but a recent study from nonprofit think tank Rand Corp. reveals urban, affluent Americans utilize telehealth significantly more than the rural population.
The study analyzed more than 6 million insurance claims from employer-based plans in 2019 and 2020. It found that urban dwellers had about 50 telehealth visits per 10,000 people, compared to about 31 visits per 10,000 people in rural areas.
The analysis also found that patients living in counties with low poverty levels had about 48 telehealth visits per 10,000 people, compared to 15 visits per 10,000 people for those living in high-poverty areas.