Telemedicine became very popular during the pandemic, although most patients now expect that sort of flexibility with their physicians. The technology has gotten dramatically better over the last couple of years. In a recent survey by McKinsey & Company, only 9% of those reporting negative aspects of an online doctor visit cited technical difficulties as a cause. Cookies play an important role for repeat visitors. “We realized there is a lot of cognitive overload for patients,” Lee Schwamm, VP of digital patient experience and virtual care at Mass General Brigham, told the Wall Street Journal. “It is stressful to have to find an email, a link and a password when you are getting ready for an appointment with your doctor,” he said. Since most patients login just minutes before an appointment, there is very little time to help people who are having technical problems. In a 2021 McKinsey Physician Survey, 45% of doctors surveyed said that they invested in telehealth during the pandemic, and 41% said they have the technology to deliver telehealth seamlessly. Doctors, however, are not fully on board with telemedicine. In another McKinsey study earlier this year, two-thirds of doctors polled identified shortcomings in the system. Their biggest complaint is the lack of an in-person visit. “There are some conditions where I need a physical exam to make a decision on a patient’s care,” Keith Sale, VP of ambulatory services at the University of Kansas Health Systems, told the Wall Street Journal.
