The advantages of Doctor on Demand vs. in-person care really stood out in the past couple of years as the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on an already fickle healthcare system.
According to Health System Tracker, since the start of the pandemic, life expectancy dropped across all races and ethnicities in the U.S., healthcare spending continued to grow, and the situation has exacerbated the pre-existing barriers to accessing care.
In fact, in 2021, 21% of American adults either delayed or didn’t get medical care due to these barriers.
The lockdown measures made access to medical care even more challenging and negatively impacted people’s mental health.
Around that time, telehealth started gaining momentum as an alternative that allowed people to receive care without a risky hospital trip or talk to a therapist online. According to a McKinsey study, telehealth use increased 38 times compared to before the pandemic, with a peak in April 2020 that was 78 times higher than two months prior.
The popularity and convenience of virtual care and digital health, including Doctor on Demand, remains high.
Although the WHO declared the end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency, people continued using telehealth post-pandemic. Consumers believe it is an essential process for their future care needs, with 40% of them answering positively to using telehealth in the future, compared to 11% pre-pandemic.
Moreover, 58% of physicians view these services more favorably post-COVID-19, 84% offer virtual visits, and 57% would continue this practice.
As for employers, telehealth is a promising addition to the employee benefits package and a great way to position themselves at the forefront of healthcare innovation while prioritizing their workers’ well-being.
In the past few years, many have grown accustomed to the convenience of on-demand service apps like Doctor on Demand. Although their growth remains to be seen, the data clearly shows a promising future for virtual healthcare.