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Healthcare Insights

Hospital telehealth adoption by state

Across the United States, the healthcare landscape is undergoing a digital transformation, with telehealth playing a central role. Telehealth, also referred to as telemedicine, is the delivery of healthcare via remote clinical services such as phone calls, video chats, emails, and text messages. While the COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for widespread telehealth adoption, the technology’s implementation across states varies. How are U.S. hospitals embracing this new era of care delivery? This Healthcare Insight dives into the data, exploring state-by-state variations in hospital telehealth adoption.

How many hospitals use telehealth technologies?

According to hospital technology implementation data from Definitive Healthcare, 78.6% of hospitals have installed a telemedicine solution. This analysis, based on data from more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals with a reported telehealth technology installation, also provides a state-by-state breakdown of telehealth adoption rates.

Hospital telehealth adoption by state

RankState% of hospitals with telehealthExplore dataset
1Maryland95.8%Explore
2Connecticut94.2%Explore
3Massachusetts93.8%Explore
4Virginia93.6%Explore
5North Carolina93.4%Explore
6Oregon91.4%Explore
7Michigan90.6%Explore
8West Virginia90.4%Explore
9Minnesota90.1%Explore
10Pennsylvania89.2%Explore
11South Dakota88.6%Explore
12Vermont88.2%Explore
13New Jersey88.1%Explore
14Maine87.8%Explore
15Florida87.4%Explore
16Wisconsin86.7%Explore
17Indiana85.9%Explore
18Utah85.3%Explore
19Illinois85.0%Explore
20Kentucky85.0%Explore
21Tennessee84.8%Explore
22Ohio84.7%Explore
23Delaware84.2%Explore
24Iowa84.1%Explore
25South Carolina83.5%Explore
26New York81.4%Explore
27Nevada79.4%Explore
28Montana79.1%Explore
29District of Columbia78.6%Explore
30New Mexico77.6%Explore
31Missouri77.4%Explore
32Arizona77.0%Explore
33California75.9%Explore
34Georgia73.3%Explore
35Texas73.3%Explore
36Nebraska72.8%Explore
37Oklahoma72.8%Explore
38New Hampshire71.4%Explore
39Wyoming71.4%Explore
40Washington69.7%Explore
41Alaska69.0%Explore
42Colorado68.5%Explore
43North Dakota67.9%Explore
44Arkansas67.5%Explore
45Louisiana66.0%Explore
46Mississippi65.3%Explore
47Rhode Island64.7%Explore
48Alabama64.1%Explore
49Kansas53.7%Explore
50Idaho53.6%Explore
51Hawaii31.3%Explore

Fig. 1 - Telehealth technology implementations sourced from Definitive Healthcare’s HospitalView product. Data is proprietary and updated on a continuous basis. Data accurate as of February 2024.

Which states have the highest telehealth usage?

Telehealth adoption varies widely across states. While some states have adoption rates exceeding 90%, others have rates below 70%. Several factors may contribute to the differences in adoption rates, including state policies and regulations, infrastructure availability, reimbursement policies, population demographics, and healthcare provider preferences.

Maryland leads the nation with the highest percentage of hospitals (95.8%) having implemented telehealth technology, followed closely by Connecticut (94.2%) and Massachusetts (93.8%).

Which states have the lowest telehealth usage?

The states with the lowest telehealth adoption rates, based on reported technology installations, were Hawaii (31.3%), Kansas (53.7%), and Idaho (53.6%). States with large rural and remote populations may struggle with telehealth adoption due to challenges related to internet connectivity and technology access. Limited broadband infrastructure in rural areas, for instance, can hinder the delivery of telehealth services.

Additionally, states with less developed healthcare infrastructure may lack the necessary resources to support telehealth implementation. This includes smaller healthcare facilities, fewer care providers, and limited coordination across systems. Financial constraints can also limit the ability to invest in telehealth infrastructure and technology.

Is telehealth on the decline?

COVID-19 highlighted the importance of telehealth for delivering care while minimizing the risk of virus transmission, leading to a surge in the use of telehealth services. While the pandemic peak has passed, telehealth usage remains higher than pre-pandemic levels, and certain specialties like mental health rely more heavily on telehealth. Experts believe telehealth will continue to play a major role in healthcare, but how it evolves depends on factors like policy changes impacting reimbursement. Recently, legislation extended many of the Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were in place during the pandemic through December 31, 2024.

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