First Glance
Telehealth Statistics: Telehealth has changed the way people get healthcare. Now, patients can easily see a doctor from home instead of visiting a clinic. This service used to be rare, but it quickly became popular, especially after COVID-19. Both patients and doctors now trust virtual care more than before.
Today, telehealth includes many services like video doctor visits, remote health monitoring, mental health support, and help for long-term illnesses. People of all ages like telehealth because it is easy to use, saves time, and helps those who live far from hospitals or clinics. Doctors and healthcare providers also see the benefits of telehealth. It helps patients get better results, lowers healthcare costs, and makes it easier to connect with specialists.
This article looks at important telehealth statistics, including how people use it, recent trends, and more.
Top Statistics Selected by the Editor
- Global telehealth market valued at USD 77.4 billion in 2025, projected to reach USD 187.5 billion by 2033, an 11.5% CAGR from 2026.
- U.S. telehealth market is valued at USD 43.8 billion in 2024, projected to reach USD 317.2 billion by 2034, a 21.9% CAGR.
- Hinge Health reported that its virtual musculoskeletal-care program with CHRISTUS Health reduced pain by 50% and saved USD 424 per participant.
- 64% of patients prefer telehealth because it offers better appointment times, and 44% choose it to save time on the day of the appointment.
- For skin-care and dermatology needs, only 15% of patients prefer telehealth, while 68% prefer in-person care, the widest gap of any specialty surveyed.
- In 2025, 2.9 million of 62.8 million Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth services, just 4.6% of all beneficiaries.
- Only 60% of rural residents have access to telehealth, compared with more than 95% of urban residents.
- 70% of Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face primary-care appointments, compared with 34% of Generation Z who prefer in-person visits.
Global Telehealth Market Statistics
(Source: grandviewresearch.com)
- The global telehealth market was valued at USD 77.4 billion in 2025.
- The market is projected to reach USD 87.7 billion in 2026.
- By 2033, the global telehealth market is expected to grow to USD 187.5 billion.
- From 2026 to 2033, the telehealth market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 11.5%.
- In 2025, telehealth services made up the largest share of the market, followed by software and hardware.
- North America is expected to remain a major telehealth market, while Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa are also projected to contribute to market growth.
Recent Developments in Telehealth
- On September 30, 2026, K Health formed a strategic partnership with UVA Health to expand AI-enabled virtual primary care and behavioral-health services across Virginia.
- On September 30, 2026, Spring Health raised USD 71 million from existing investors, lifting its valuation to USD 2.5 billion for its digital mental-health navigation platform.
- On September 30, 2026, 98point6 raised nearly USD 31 million to support its transition from a telehealth provider into a licensed software company; Transcarent had agreed to acquire its AI virtual-care division, which serves about 3 million users, for around USD 100 million, including milestone payments.
- On September 30, 2026, Oshi Health closed a USD 30 million Series B financing round led by Koch Disruptive Technologies after partnering with Aetna to offer virtual gastrointestinal care to commercial members in 6 states.
- On September 1, 2026, Hinge Health completed its acquisition of Cylinder Health, expanding the company from virtual musculoskeletal and migraine care into virtual-first gastrointestinal care.
- On August 4, 2026, Hinge Health agreed to acquire Cylinder Health for USD 105 million in cash and raised its 2026 revenue guidance to USD 856 million–USD 860 million, representing 46% year-over-year growth at the midpoint.
- On July 8, 2026, Hinge Health reported that its virtual musculoskeletal-care program with CHRISTUS Health reduced pain by 50% and saved USD 424 per participant.
- On October 20, 2025, DocGo acquired virtual-care platform SteadyMD, which was expected to serve more than 3 million patients in 2025, employ over 600 clinicians, and generate about USD 25 million in 2025 revenue.
U.S. Telehealth Market Growth
- The U.S. telehealth market was valued at USD 43.8 billion in 2024.
- The market is expected to grow to USD 53.4 billion in 2025 and USD 65.1 billion in 2026.
- By 2034, the U.S. telehealth market is projected to reach USD 317.2 billion.
- From 2024 to 2034, the market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 21.9%.
(Source: market.us)
Telehealth Investment Priorities for Healthcare Providers
- By 2027, 52% of healthcare providers plan to prioritize video conferencing tools that connect directly with electronic health records (EHRs).
- 51% plan to invest in secure messaging or texting tools for communicating with patients.
- 42% plan to prioritize patient-engagement applications.
- 37% expect to focus on remote patient-monitoring solutions.
- 35% plan to invest in direct-to-consumer telemedicine applications.
- 31% will prioritize EHR-integrated telemedicine platforms that do not use video conferencing.
- 25% plan to invest in store-and-forward telemedicine, which allows patient information to be sent to a healthcare provider for later review.
- 20% will prioritize video conferencing tools that do not connect directly with EHR systems.
- 6% of healthcare providers plan to focus on other telehealth solutions.
(Reference: TelehealthTechnology.org)
Telehealth Usage in the Medical Specialties
- In a 2024 survey of 326 U.S. healthcare organizations, 197 respondents said they provide behavioral-health services through telehealth.
- 121 respondents use telehealth for primary care and general medicine.
- 97 respondents provide telehealth services for medical specialties.
- 54 respondents use telehealth for therapeutic and rehabilitation specialties.
- 51 respondents offer telehealth services for surgical specialties.
- 42 respondents use telehealth for support and allied-health specialties.
- 37 respondents provide telehealth services in specialized healthcare settings.
- 27 respondents use telehealth for dental and oral-health services.
Reasons Why Patients Choose Telehealth
- 64% of patients prefer telehealth because it offers better appointment times.
- 44% choose telehealth because it saves time on the day of the appointment.
- 37% prefer telehealth because they can usually get an appointment sooner.
- 32% choose telehealth because it can save money.
- 15% prefer telehealth because they feel it creates a better personal connection with their doctor.
- 14% choose telehealth because they prefer using technology for healthcare appointments.
- 8% prefer telehealth because a virtual appointment feels more private than an in-person visit.
- 3% gave other reasons for choosing telehealth.
(Reference: scnsoft.com)
What Patients Prefer Between Telehealth and In-Person Care
- For prescription refills, 62% of patients prefer a virtual visit, while 27% prefer in-person care.
- For general illnesses, 40% prefer telehealth, while 50% prefer an in-person visit.
- For mental-health visits, 35% prefer telehealth and 38% prefer in-person care.
- For preventive care, 33% prefer a virtual visit, while 56% prefer to see a healthcare provider in person.
- For weight management, preferences are nearly equal: 33% prefer telehealth, and 34% prefer in-person care.
- For chronic pain or ongoing health conditions, 23% prefer telehealth, while 62% prefer in-person care.
- For post-surgery check-ins, 23% prefer virtual care and 60% prefer in-person visits.
- For substance-use disorders, 16% prefer telehealth, while 30% prefer in-person care.
- For skin-care or dermatology needs, 15% prefer telehealth and 68% prefer in-person care.
- For pediatric illnesses, 13% prefer telehealth, while 39% prefer in-person care.
- For obstetrics and gynecology care, 8% prefer telehealth and 52% prefer in-person care.
(Reference: scnsoft.com)
Medicare Telehealth Use Over Time
- Usage continued to decline and reached 6.7% in the first quarter of 2023.
- Telehealth use remained stable at 6.4% in the first quarter of 2024 and 6.5% in the first quarter of 2025.
- In the first quarter of 2026, telehealth accounted for 6.8% of Medicare visits.
Medicare Beneficiaries Using Telehealth in 2025
- In 2025, 2.9 million of the 62.8 million Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth services.
- Telehealth users represented 4.6% of all Medicare beneficiaries in 2025.
- The remaining 59.9 million beneficiaries, or 95.4%, did not use telehealth services.
- Telehealth use among Medicare beneficiaries increased slightly from 4.2% in 2024 to 4.6% in 2025.
Key Barriers to Telehealth Growth
- Many patients still prefer in-person appointments. During mid-2020, 52% of healthcare visits were virtual, but telehealth use later fell to 11%.
- After the pandemic, 43% of adults said they wanted to continue using telehealth services, while 34% preferred telehealth instead of face-to-face visits.
- Telehealth services are not equally available to everyone. Only 60% of rural residents have access to telehealth, compared with more than 95% of urban residents.
- Rural areas may face telehealth access problems because fewer people have smartphones or reliable internet connections.
- Some patients do not fully trust technology for healthcare needs and prefer meeting a doctor in person.
- Older adults are more likely to prefer in-person primary care. 70% of Baby Boomers prefer face-to-face primary-care appointments.
- Younger adults are more open to telehealth, but many still prefer in-person care. 47% of Generation X, 45% of Millennials, and 34% of Generation Z prefer in-person visits for primary care.
Wrapping Up
Telehealth started as something people needed during the pandemic and has now become a regular part of healthcare. The market keeps growing, and providers keep investing more in video visits, messaging, and tools that monitor patients remotely.
Patients like it because it’s convenient and appointments come faster, but most people still prefer seeing a doctor in person for things like skin care, pregnancy-related care, and ongoing health conditions. Medicare use has stayed about the same, and people in rural areas still have less access. With more funding and new specialty platforms, growth looks set to continue, even if it’s uneven across different areas of care.
FAQ
Telehealth is the use of digital technology, such as video calls, phone calls, and mobile apps, to deliver healthcare services, consultations, and medical information remotely without requiring an in-person visit.
Telehealth covers a broad range of remote healthcare services, including patient education, administrative meetings, and provider training, while telemedicine specifically refers to remote clinical services like diagnosis and treatment between a patient and a provider.
Telehealth can support primary care consultations, mental health therapy, chronic disease management, follow up appointments, prescription renewals, and some urgent care needs, though it is not suitable for emergencies or conditions requiring physical examination.
Many insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid in certain cases, cover telehealth visits, but coverage varies by provider, state, and plan type, so patients should confirm details with their insurer before scheduling a virtual visit.
Reputable telehealth platforms use encrypted video and messaging systems that comply with healthcare privacy regulations like HIPAA in the United States, though patients should still verify that a platform is secure before sharing sensitive information.
Most telehealth visits only require a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access, a camera, and a microphone, along with any specific app or platform link provided by the healthcare provider.
