Houston health care experts say telehealth has been crucial in combating COVID-19. A new study finds about 4.5 million Texans have used such a service for the first time since the pandemic began. 

Accenture recently released findings of a survey examining Texans’ attitudes towards virtual health care. Nearly 45% of Texans who participated said they trust a virtual health visit as much as, or more than, an in-person visit. That’s 15% higher than a survey Accenture conducted a few months earlier. Additionally, 94% of patients who used virtual care during COVID-19 reported they would be willing to continue using it moving forward. 

“A lot of Texans got a taste for what it’s like to see their physicians and specialists from the safety and comfort of their home,” said Mark Olney, a managing director in Accenture’s Health practice and the study’s lead author. “Now patients are eager to get more of that access, convenience and time savings.”

The global strategy and consulting firm surveyed more than 1,000 Texas adults in May and compared those responses to another survey it conducted in October-November 2019. Researchers also collaborated with the  Dallas Forth-Worth Hospital Council and Texas e-Health Alliance to interview 13 major health systems in Texas, which manage hundreds of hospitals. 

Roberta Schwartz, executive vice president and chief innovation officer of Houston Methodist Hospital, talked about the importance of telemedicine in response to the pandemic during the Partnership’s virtual Innovation Council meeting in May.

“The role of telemedicine is here to stay,” said Schwartz. 

See more of Accenture's survey findings here.

Click here for more COVID-19 resources for small businesses. Visit the Partnership's COVID-19 Resource page for updates, guidance for employers and more information.