One-Fifth of Home Health Agencies Halted Telehealth Services Post-Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many home health care agencies rapidly adopted telehealth to continue providing essential services while minimizing disease transmission. However, recent research indicates that this shift is now reversing, with 19% of these agencies discontinuing telehealth options by 2024. A comprehensive survey conducted by the University of California, Irvine, and other institutions analyzed responses from 791 home health providers between October 2023 and November 2024. The findings reveal that although telehealth usage surged from just 23% adoption in 2019 to 65% in 2021—primarily for virtual visits to reduce infection risk and address staffing shortages—a significant drop is underway.

The primary reasons for discontinuation include the lack of federal reimbursement policies from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and concerns about telehealth’s suitability for elderly, less tech-savvy patients. While virtual visits and remote monitoring briefly gained popularity, about 22% of agencies that initially adopted telehealth had ceased its use by 2022. Notably, 33% of agencies never integrated telehealth during the pandemic, often citing the hands-on nature of home health care as incompatible with virtual methods.

Experts emphasize that without sustained reimbursement support, many agencies might abandon telehealth altogether, potentially missing opportunities to improve care quality and reduce costs amid increasing demand for home health services. The study highlights the need for more rigorous evaluation of telehealth’s cost-effectiveness and patient outcomes, especially as the industry faces future growth.

Overall, the decline in telehealth adoption underscores significant policy and structural barriers. Addressing these challenges could be crucial in leveraging telehealth to meet the evolving needs of aging populations and expanding home healthcare—if appropriate reimbursement frameworks are established to support its continued use.