7 telehealth trends physicians should know, per the AMA

The American Medical Association published a list of trends physicians should know about telemedicine Dec. 16. These trends were based on data from the CDC's 2021 Health Interview Survey, which involved almost 90,000 people across 35,000 households in the country.

Here are the seven trends as outlined by the AMA:

1. Telemedicine use is higher in older patients. For example, 29.4 percent of patients ages 18 to 29 reported using telehealth, while 43.3 percent of patients 65 and older reported using the service.
2. Telehealth use is more common among people above the federal poverty level. Among those living below the poverty line, 33.1 percent reported using telehealth. That number increases to 35.8 percent in households living 200 percent to 400 percent above the poverty line and 40.7 percent in households making at least 400 percent of that level.
3. Women are more likely to use telehealth. The survey revealed that 42 percent of women reported using telehealth, while 31.7 percent of men said they used it.
4. Patients with a college degree are more likely to use telehealth. According to the survey, 30.3 percent of patients with only a high school diploma reported using telehealth; that number jumps to 43.2 percent among those who have a college degree.
5. Telemedicine use is more common in the Northeastern and Western states. According to the survey, 42.4 percent of adults in the Western U.S. and 40 percent of adults in the Northeast reported using telemedicine. Meanwhile, 34.3 percent of adults in the South and 33.3 percent of adults in the Midwest said the same. 
6. Telemedicine is more common among American Indian or Alaskan and white adults, who reported a 40.6 percent and 39.2 percent use, respectively. Meanwhile, 32.8 percent of Hispanic adults, 33.1 percent of Black adults and 33 percent of Asian adults reported they utilize telehealth.
7. Telehealth is more common in urban areas. According to the survey, 40.3 percent of adults in large metropolitan areas reported using telemedicine, which drops to 30.5 percent in micropolitan areas and 27.5 percent in noncore areas.