JD Power Studies Telehealth Services And Ranks Them

Nikki Attkisson | Last Updated : October 6, 2021

It has been found by a study that has been released by data analytics and consumer intelligence company JD Power that pain points exist, especially among patients who have higher risk profiles, even though the adoption of telehealth has increased.

The study was fielded in June and July of the current year. Overall, it found that telehealth services have been accessed by up to 36% of patients in the past year. This is an increase of 9% from 2020 and 7% in 2019.

JD Power Studies Telehealth Services And Ranks Them

Many hurdles have been reported by multiple people to accessing care, and analysts have noted that a greater impact on overall satisfaction has been had by these issues than they ever did in the past.

JD Power Studies Telehealth Services And Ranks Them

The analysis by JD Power was based on responses that they received from over 4,500 customers of telehealth who had used a telehealth service within the last 12 months.

The usage is consistent across all generational groups, according to the study. Among millennials, the rates were the highest along with ‘pre boomers, who are also known as the silent generation.

The ability to receive care quickly, safety, and convenience were some of the top reasons for the utilization of telehealth.

The fact that patients preferred to see their doctor in real life was one of the most common reasons for people not utilizing telehealth.

Users’ decisions were also influenced by lack of trust with features, ease of use, and safety with regards to decisions to not use medicine over the telephone.

Based on 4 factors, the satisfaction of the patients was measured by the company.

Customer service, consultation, enrollment, and pill payment, in order of importance.

Teladoc, given these criteria, was the most highly ranked among brands that went direct to customers.

MyTelemedicine was third and MDLIVE came in second.

The top marks, when it came to services that were provided by health plans, were taken by UnitedHealthcare and in second place, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Humana were tied.

Between 2020 and 2021, it was noted by the researchers that with both direct-to-consumer and telehealth services that were sponsored by the payer, the overall satisfaction levels dropped.

It was indicated by over half of the respondents that telehealth had been made difficult by a minimum of 1 barrier.

Limited services, confusing technology, a lack of information about providers, and a lack of awareness of costs were most frequently cited by the respondents.

Among patients with the lowest health status, which was self-reported, satisfaction tended to be lower.

This is in stark contrast to those who considered themselves to be in excellent shape.

The information provided during the visit was also more likely to be understood by the patients who were healthier. They were also more likely to say that they received clear explanations, obtained high-quality diagnoses, and perceive that their visits are highly personalized.

Amidst the Covid pandemic, with telehealth services, patients have largely reported being satisfied.

In the higher rankings, a few particular companies have been making appearances that are recurring.

Customer satisfaction with Amwell, according to a KLAS report from January of this year, since 2018, has declined steadily. Amwell is another telehealth vendor. In response to Covid, Amwell has now received early feedback that has been positive.

In the JD Power survey, Amwell has also been ranked the highest from this past year.

On the other hand, Teladoc faced hiccups during early Covid. Despite struggling to scale on its Teladoc Health Licensed Platform, they recovered.

James Beem, the managing director of global healthcare intelligence said that it is quite clear that customer satisfaction has declined recently.


Nikki Attkisson

With over 15 years as a practicing journalist, Nikki Attkisson found herself at Powdersville Post now after working at several other publications. She is an award-winning journalist with an entrepreneurial spirit and worked as a journalist covering technology, innovation, environmental issues, politics, health etc. Nikki Attkisson has also worked on product development, content strategy, and editorial management for numerous media companies. She began her career at local news stations and worked as a reporter in national newspapers.

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