More than 83 Percent of Executives Surveyed Plan to Invest in Telehealth this Year

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) released findings from their 2017 Telemedicine Executive Leadership Survey.

The study reveals that telemedicine executives are overwhelmingly optimistic about the future of the telehealth industry and are planning near-term investments to keep pace with rapid transformation and growth of the industry.

Key findings include:

• 83% of respondents claimed they are likely to invest in telehealth this year
• 88% of respondents plan to invest in technology related to telehealth this year
• 98% of leaders feel telehealth services create a competitive advantage over other organizations that do not offer it
• 84% of respondents believe offering telehealth services strongly expand an organization’s coverage and reach
• Respondents noted reimbursement and licensure as top barriers to increased telemedicine adoption
• Close to half of respondents believe increasing consumer demand will be the key trend that will propel the growth of the telehealth market in the next 3 years
• Patient-centered healthcare and EHR interoperability are among industry advancements a majority of respondents are most excited about

“This executive leadership survey confirms undeniably today’s leaders view telemedicine as a major driver in transforming healthcare,” said Jonathan Linkous, CEO, American Telemedicine Association.

“It comes as no surprise that 98% of survey respondents believe telehealth services create a competitive advantage, and I anticipate tremendous growth in the market as we continue to move toward more patient-centered solutions.”

The report is based on 171 respondents in executive leadership positions representing telehealth service providers, healthcare practices, and hospital systems.