Patients are more technology savvy and prioritize convenience and timely visits, in addition to the benefits provided by an in-office visit. When asked why patients prefer virtual visits, the overwhelming response was convenience and time effectiveness (65%, 979 responses), second was appointment availability (10%, 150 responses), and after-hours care access (10%, 145 responses), and ease of use (10%, 144 responses) came in a very close third and fourth.

About 50% of patients (759 respondents) said they prefer virtual visits while 49.5% (754 respondents) said that they prefer in-office visits. In a recent study that Anytime Pediatrics conducted with over 1,500 patients, patients are split down the middle when it comes to a preference between virtual and in-office care.

As a result, patients are more acclimated and willing to conduct most of their day-to-day activities virtually-from online banking, shopping online, to ordering meals through apps. And, they want the same convenience and ease of use when it comes to their healthcare experience. As a result, many offices have returned to business as usual and continue to use existing processes and business models that have worked in the past. However, the use of telehealth during the first year of the pandemic revealed a new reality for both patients and clinicians-that many healthcare visits normally seen in-office can be successfully conducted remotely. These virtual encounters also connected what was missing in prior patient experience models: a convenient, easy-to-use way for patients to connect with their provider and receive the care they needed from the comfort of their own home.Īdditionally, an overall technology shift changed how patients use technology across all facets of their life. The Driving Demand: Patients Are More Acclimated to Technologyįor many clinicians, the perception is that patients overwhelmingly still prefer and want office visits. Now that office doors have reopened and practices have returned to in-office care, the questions exist: should practices still incorporate virtual care visits into their business procedures, and how do they integrate virtual care into their daily operations? During the early days of the pandemic, practices quickly secured a telehealth platform to conduct virtual care visits while their offices were closed.

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