Virtual health care investments on the rise, study finds

Large and mid-size U.S. companies — those with 2,500 or more employees — reported a 21% increase in the implementation of virtual care offerings over the past 18 months, according to new data released by Teladoc Health, a leading whole-person virtual care provider. Additionally, 77% of large and mid-size employers said they plan to increase virtual care investments over the next three years.

The findings are part of the company’s second annual Virtual Care Transformation Index, a survey of more than 300 human resources decision makers that highlights the perception, adoption, and advancement of whole-person virtual health care in benefits programs.

“For employers, the stakes are high when it comes to making sure quality health care is always within reach,” Kelly Bliss, president of Teladoc Health U.S. Group Health, said in a statement. “When we first initiated this study, employers were only starting to realize the value and potential of a whole-person virtual care strategy. Amidst continued workforce pressures and economic uncertainty, employers expect to build integrated, high-value benefits strategies that fit the diverse needs of their entire population.”

Bliss noted that the study found substantial growth in the percentage of employers offering a broader suite of virtual care services and reinforced employers’ desire to manage a minimal number of vendors who can offer comprehensive services.

“Compared to last year, today’s employers are expected to build innovative, high-value benefits strategies within the context of even more challenging market trends,” she added.

The survey also yielded several other noteworthy findings. They include:

• Employers are elevating the role of virtual care delivery in benefits programs.

The number of employers fully integrating virtual care services into their benefits program increased 40% over the past 18 months. Additionally, nearly 1 in 2 employers reported that virtual care is becoming “central” to their benefits strategy.

• Employers are equitably meeting the health needs of an entire workforce.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies are a top priority for employers in their benefit plan design and communication. Out of the many ways employers measure the success of their virtual care programs, respondents reported “equitably meeting the needs of the entire population” as the number one measure of success and value when it comes to virtual care.

• Employers are leaning on virtual care to improve diabetes care and weight management.

Rising employee demand for access to GLP-1s is driving employers to seek benefits programs that manage clinically appropriate prescribing and employee lifestyle support. More than 80% of respondents agreed that virtual care programs can help address these concerns through an integrated program.

• Employers continue to invest in mental health services.

Employers reported mental health and primary care services are the most prevalent virtual services in their benefits strategies, and 40% of employers plan to expand their virtual mental health services over the next three years. What’s more, nearly 3 in 4 plan to focus that expansion on enhanced mental health services for adolescents, children, and caregivers.

Related: Virtual-first plans offer employers a unique way to improve access to care

• Employers are embracing vendor integration and a seamless, whole-person approach to care.

Nearly 90% of employers said an integrated whole-person virtual care strategy was “very” or “extremely” important. Today, 55% of employers have implemented and achieved a whole-person virtual care program — a 20% increase over 2021.