ASTOUNDCOMMERCE.COM ASTOUND HEALTH REPORT 2023 + The State of Telehealth As pandemic restrictions eased, our survey showed+Telehealth is here to stay, ed an overall decline in the use of telehealth comparand patients are increasingly to 2021: only 36 percent of respondents reported a telehealth appointment in the last 12 months, down comfortable using it for a from 45 percent the previous year. The primary reasonwider range of reasons given for a telehealth appointment was for a personal or family member illness, a welcome indication that many consumers continue to be cautious about spreading communicable diseases to others. Reasons for Using Telehealth 20212022 53%50% 49% 45% Key Factors for Telehealth Care 2021 RANK 2022 RANK 28% 23% A healthcare provider who takes the time to listen to my issues/concerns and 1 1 shows empathy and understanding Illness for you PreventativePrescriptionA healthcare provider who clearly explains or someone medicinerefill onlywhat they are doing during the exam/meeting in your family and provides follow-up information 3 2 Figure 9: Year-over-year comparison of reasons given for having a telehealth appointment among respondents who reported using telehealth.A virtual visit that’s high quality (i.e., stable Wi-Fi, clear camera, 2 3 Despite the decline in use, the overwhelming adequate sound, in a quiet setting) majority (85 percent) were satisfied with their telehealth experience. Although the top four priorities for a virtual health visit remained theThe ability to have all my concerns met same as the previous year (a provider who listens including medications prescribed and/or 4 4 to concerns and shows empathy, a provider who next medical steps scheduled clearly explains information, the ability to have all concerns met, and a high-quality virtual visit), a high-quality virtual visit dropped from the second- most-important factor in 2021 to the third in 2022, perhaps indicating that the technology supporting these visits is doing a better job meeting needs and is no longer at the forefront of consumer concerns. Figure 10: Year-over-year comparison of global consumer ranking of the importance of each factor for a telehealth appointment. 16 17