ICYMI: AMA Poll Finds Telehealth Improves Access to Quality Care & Reduces Costs

Physician Support for Virtual Care Underscores the Urgency for Congressional Action

Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, the American Medical Association (AMA) this week released a survey of 2,232 physician respondents that underscores the urgent need for congressional action to permanently protect patients’ access to virtual care and the benefits of telehealth more broadly, including high quality care, lower costs, and greater health equity. 

The survey, conducted in late 2021, reveals that 60 percent of physicians agree or strongly agree telehealth enables them to provide high quality care and 80 percent of physicians indicate that patients have better access to care since using telehealth. Importantly, by a more than two-to-one margin (with a 44 percent plurality), respondents also said telehealth decreased the costs of care. 

The survey emphasizes the high level of physician enthusiasm for telehealth involvement and reiterates the need for Congress to permanently protect access to virtual care. As the survey shows, nearly 85% of physicians are currently using telehealth to provide high quality health care, a critical care avenue for millions of patients nationwide. While Congress enacted temporary protections for telehealth in the recent omnibus package, the patients who rely on telehealth and the overwhelming majority of physicians who have indicated that they are using virtual care to connect with patients nationwide, need a permanent solution once and for all. 

As AMA President Gerald E. Harmon, M.D. said in a press release on the survey, “Physicians view telehealth as providing quality care to their patients, and policymakers and payers have come to the same conclusion. Patients will benefit immensely from this new era of improved access to care…This survey shows adoption of the technology is widespread as is the demand for continued access. It is critical that Congress takes action and makes permanent telehealth access for Medicare patients.”

See the results of AMA’s survey HERE and learn more about how Congress can act to permanently protect telehealth access HERE.

ABOUT TELEHEALTH ACCESS FOR AMERICA

Telehealth Access for America (TAFA) is a public education campaign supported by leaders in health care committed to better care, expanded patient choice, and protecting access to critical telehealth services. Learn more and take action today at www.telehealthaccessforamerica.org. 

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