Major Increase in Telehealth during Covid-19 Pandemic

 A cohort study published in JAMA of more than 36 million individuals in the US found a dramatic increase in telehealth use during the first four months of the Covid-19 pandemic.  In this study, in-person visits decreased by 37% while telehealth visits accounted for 23% of all interactions, compared with 0.3% in 2019.  Behavioral health encounters were far more likely than medical contacts to take place virtually (46% vs 22%).  Persons living in areas with limited resources were less likely to use telehealth (27% vs 20%).  The costs also decreased by 15%.  The findings of this study are relevant to physicians, administrators, and payers regarding telehealth's potential role during the pandemic and afterward.