March 12, 2021
Telehealth services are an emerging care model. The WHIO reports on the use of telehealth services in Wisconsin to inform policy makers, providers, health plans, employers, and the public on trends in Wisconsin.
The COVID-19 pandemic made it problematic for patients to complete an in person outpatient visit (doctor’s office and clinics) or use urgent care services (emergency department and urgent care facilities). In response, the volume of telehealth services increased rapidly. When provider organizations implemented safety procedures, in person outpatient and urgent care visits were re-established and telehealth visits continued.
FAIR Health – a national analytics company that uses health care claims – reported that telehealth claims in the U.S. increased from 0.2% of total claims in September 2019 to 5.6% in October 2020, a 3,060% increase.