Top telehealth diagnoses in 2023 and 2022

What is the telehealth utilization trend in 2023? 

The top telemedicine diagnoses emphasize the importance of mental health. According to the data, we can see that conditions related to mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health have been a priority for patients from 2022 - 2023. Generalized anxiety disorder (F411), major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate (F331), and post-traumatic stress disorder, unspecified (F4310), held several of the most reported diagnoses.  

Several other ICD-10 codes within the “F” category further indicate the importance of diagnosing and treating a variety of mental health conditions. Telehealth services may be particularly well-suited for counseling patients with mental health conditions because they offer a safe, effective, private, and engaging environment for patients and physicians. Rural areas in the U.S., which have a profound history of lacking access to health care, may benefit the most from increased telehealth adoption.  

These insights could indicate some interesting trends: 

1. The data could corroborate the belief that more physicians are seeing the benefits of technology in their practice.   
2. The data could support larger studies that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the mental wellbeing of patients.  
3. As the healthcare industry continues to adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic, patients are receiving treatment in new care locations, such as at-home or at an urgent care facility.  

A slight resurgence in COVID diagnoses 

Notably, telehealth diagnoses related to COVID-19 (U071) rose sharply in 2022 and are ranked five, accounting for 2.4% of all principal diagnoses for the year. It’s an interesting development as it contrasts with patient behavior we observed. Throughout the course of 2022, a combination of COVID infections and vaccinations granted immunity to a large portion of the population in the U.S., surpassing 80% according to The Covid States Project.  

The likely reason why COVID diagnoses increased in 2022, despite a greater number of the population being immune, is that new variants appeared and began to spread. The Omicron variant appeared for the first time just before 2022 and quickly became the dominant form of coronavirus in the U.S. at the time. In fact, the CDC reported that the portion of people that caught the virus suddenly spiked from 35% to 60% in the immediate aftermath of Omicron’s appearance.  

By the tail end of 2023, however, the original Omicron variant has vanished, but subvariants are circulating. HV.1, an Omicron subvariant, is currently the dominant variant nationwide with 29.6% of cases as of publication.  

The future of telehealth 

While each dataset offers intriguing insights into how patients are using telehealth services, the impact on the way they think about how they receive care is significant. The appetite for a safe, convenient, and personal discussion of health between patient and provider is there.  

As more patients turn to telemedicine, we can expect more healthcare providers to integrate virtual care programs as a necessity to remain competitive, improve health outcomes, and strengthen the trusted relationship between patients and their providers.   

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