The study results were obtained from an analysis of patient information from the Department of Veterans Affairs from January 1, 2019 to August 31, 2023. It contained data on more than 277 million outpatient visits by 9 million veterans.
The study found that overall telehealth visit volume has increased dramatically since the coronavirus pandemic began and has become much more common than in-person visits.
For primary care and mental health care, for example, researchers found that in-person appointments fell from 81 percent to 23 percent in the first months of the pandemic. However, by spring 2023, telephone-based care had nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, while video-based care remained near the peak of the pandemic, an increase of 2,300 percent from pre-pandemic levels.
“The majority (55%) of mental health care continues to be delivered via telehealth, likely due to the ease of adapting mental health services to virtual platforms,” the researchers wrote.
In comparison, primary care and specialist care often require in-person assessments such as physical exams, making telemedicine appointments impractical, they noted.
This article is part of the Post's “Big Number” series, which briefly examines the statistical aspects of health issues. Additional information and related research is available via hyperlinks.
