31% of Older Americans Worry Telehealth Not as Effective as In-person Care

Close to a third of older Americans remain concerned about the efficacy of telehealth visits as compared with in-person care, according to a new poll.

The survey, conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and funded by the SCAN Foundation, polled 1,000 adults, aged 50 years and older, between Nov. 12 and 15.

Though telehealth use remained popular in 2021 — with 62 percent of respondents reporting using the care modality in November, up from 56 percent who said the same in March — older adults cited several concerns with virtual visits.

About 31 percent of respondents said they were worried that receiving care via telehealth was not as effective as a traditional in-person visit. They also cited concerns regarding not having a personal relationship with their doctor (29 percent), the security of health information (17 percent) and running into technical issues (16 percent).

Worries about using technology were especially prominent for those age 65 years and older, those without a college degree, and those with incomes below $50,000 a year.

Telehealth concerns were also stratified by race, with nonwhite respondents being more likely than white respondents to cite concerns about doctors not understanding their cultural preferences.

When asked what would help alleviate their concerns about using telehealth, a majority of the respondents said having a prior relationship with their doctor (69 percent) and the option to exchange emails or direct messages with their provider (55 percent) would be most helpful.

Other helpful factors cited by respondents included having information from payers on what types of telehealth is covered (50 percent), the option to use telehealth on a smartphone rather than a desktop or laptop (35 percent), and assistance learning how to use the necessary technology (27 percent).

"The expanded use of telehealth provides a tremendous opportunity to rethink how we provide healthcare through the lens of equity and inclusion," said Sarita A. Mohanty, MD, president and CEO of the SCAN Foundation. "Older adults see telehealth as a faster, more convenient, and in some cases more affordable way to access care. Addressing their concerns about access to technology and quality of care could go a long way to expanding its use even further."

In addition, the survey shows that there are times when respondents would prefer in-person care over telehealth. Difficulty scheduling appointments (21 percent) and not having specific programs installed on their device (20 percent) topped the list of major reasons for preferring in-person care.

Cost also played into older adults' care preferences. About 16 percent of respondents said that the costs or co-pays associated with telehealth is a major reason, and 23 percent said it is a minor reason, for why they would prefer in-person care to telehealth.

Older adults' concerns appear to be influencing the likelihood of them using telehealth in the future. Only 27 percent of respondents said they were extremely or very likely to continue to seek care through telehealth once the COVID-19 pandemic ended, as compared with 38 percent of respondents who said they were not too or not at all likely to use the care modality post-pandemic.

In fact, 47 percent said they would either not be too comfortable or not at all comfortable using telehealth for an urgent medical concern, while 46 percent said the same about healthcare services like physical or occupational therapy, and 35 percent reported discomfort with telemental health services.