A survey of 2,000 adults in the U.S. has shown that 42% have used telehealth services in place of their regular in-person visits to eye clinics since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Telehealth is a service made available by way of telecommunication devices like computers and smart phones. Using this recent technology, people who find it difficult to visit their physicians regularly can be diagnosed and monitored remotely and can take part in live consultations from home.
According to the survey, conducted by Updox, a virtual care and health communication company, 65% of users find telehealth visits to be more convenient than in-person appointments, and 63% say they are grateful for not having to be exposed to other people. 44% and 38% respectively of the users in the survey also liked that scheduling appointments was easier, and follow-ups were more streamlined.
It appears that telehealth will be here to stay, even after the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. 51% of respondents said that they are likely to continue post-pandemic, due to its convenience and the ability to interact with the physician of choice. If the technology remains user-friendly, and if it gains wide professional acceptance, remote clinical visits could greatly ease the burdens of time and cost on doctors and patients alike.