Telemedicine Surge Likely to Remain

Benefits of telemedicine reveal themselves as doctors and patients forced to new form of appointments

COVID-19 has forced many physicians and patients to adopt virtual appointments through telephone or video conferencing. The move has revealed the convenience of this approach. Melinda Nagy/Shutterstock

As COVID-19 took hold in March, U.S. doctors limited in-person appointments—and many patients avoided them—for fear of infection. The result was a huge increase in the volume of remote medical and behavioral health visits.