Dive Brief:
- Telehealth utilization varied by region from June to July of 2022 and rose 1.9% nationally, according to Fair Health’s monthly tracker data out Monday.
- In the West, Midwest and South, telehealth utilization rose 5.7%, 2.5% and 4.9%, respectively, from June to July. In the Northeast, telehealth use fell 3.3% during that period.
- Mental health conditions remained the top diagnoses nationally, and psychiatrists also delivered more virtual care in some regions.
Dive Insight:
Fair Health has tracked telehealth utilization as a percent of medical claims since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. New variants and coronavirus waves have typically prompted greater use in certain regions through the pandemic, the tracker shows.
Fair Health uses data covering claims for patients on private insurance, including Medicare Advantage and excluding Medicare fee-for-service and Medicaid.
Even as COVID-19 waves have lessened through the year, telehealth use has held steady with some minor fluctuations.
Overall, telehealth utilization rose 1.9% nationally from June to July, according to Fair Health.
Social workers remained the top-ranking telehealth specialty in all regions since February 2022. COVID-19 ranked second among telehealth diagnoses from June to July, with mental health conditions remaining in the top spot.
In the South social worker visits fell by 8.7% in July while psychiatrists increased 8.1%.
One hour of psychotherapy also remained the top telehealth procedure code nationally, where it has remained for at least five months.