Limited Broadband Poses a Significant Barrier to Telehealth Access

The pandemic has highlighted the benefits of telehealth, but individuals still face significant barriers to access, including a lack of broadband connectivity and access to the right technology, according to a survey from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC). 

About one in three adults surveyed had a telehealth visit in the past year. And while the answers showed high levels of satisfaction, patients also reported considerable obstacles in accessing telehealth. Technology-related barriers were the most common.

BPC worked with Social Sciences Research Solutions (SSRS) to gather data through the SSRS Omnibus Survey. Between June 28 and July 18, 2021, researchers interviewed 1,766 adults ages 18 or older via telephone. 

Among the survey respondents, 45 percent said that access to technology, including broadband and computers, is a barrier to telehealth. These issues particularly impacted rural residents and adults over the age of 65.

While telehealth can offer the convenience of receiving care at home, individuals living in rural areas are at a significant disadvantage due to the lack of broadband connectivity. According to the survey, more than one third of rural residents reported that high-speed internet access and access to a computer were obstacles to using telehealth; about one in four non-rural residents experienced these barriers. 

“Telehealth has helped transform the way healthcare has been delivered during COVID-19; however, broadband remains an obstacle that must be addressed, especially in rural areas,” Walter Panzirer, a trustee of the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and a funder of the survey, said in a press release.

“To accelerate care delivery, policymakers must provide and expand high-quality virtual care across the country,” he said. “The technology is popular, effective, and addresses care disparities.”

Accessing healthcare from home can be extremely beneficial to older adults who may not have the ability to travel. But confusing technology and limited internet access may overpower this benefit. 

And while older adults used telehealth in high numbers over the past year, the survey found that many face technology barriers as well. 

Some 42 percent of adults over the age of 65 said access to high-speed internet is an obstacle to using telehealth. Slightly more cited access to proper devices and an ability to use the internet as obstacles as well (46 and 49 percent, respectively).

Many older adults used audio-only telehealth visits, according to the survey results - possibly because the telephone is so easy to use.

Nearly half (51 percent) of all adults had a video visit, compared to 43 percent who used audio-only. However, when looking at older adults specifically, audio-only visits (47 percent) were slightly more popular than video visits (44 percent).

Audio-only telehealth is popular with those who don’t have the resources or means to use audio-visual telehealth platforms, but not everyone feels the platform is good for healthcare. Payers, policymakers, and providers are debating coverage for audio-only telehealth, citing concerns about reimbursement and quality of care.

The survey results highlighted the benefit of providing an audio-only option for telehealth visits. Another telehealth benefit the survey touched on was the high patient satisfaction levels. 

The majority of individuals (80 percent) reported that their primary health concern was resolved during their telehealth visit. More than nine in 10 patients (94 percent) were satisfied with the quality of care during their visit. Annual physicals or preventive services, prescription refills, and chronic illness routine visits were the most common reasons patients sought a telehealth visit, the survey results noted.