Top 25 telemedicine procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic

While telemedicine systems, also described as telehealth, have been used by patients and providers for years, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that adoption would skyrocket.

Social distancing guidelines, mandated lockdowns, and a general concern of being infected kept most patients indoors and shuttered the offices of many doctors. Telehealth rose to prominence during the height of the coronavirus and has continued to be used by doctors today to connect with patients, monitor ongoing conditions, and answer questions. As of 2022, COVID-19 remains “a public health emergency of international concern,” according to the WHO.

Using ClaimsMx, we’re able to track the kinds of procedures that happen most commonly over telemedicine. Since the pandemic began, this article has served as a record of procedures over the years starting from 2019. Below, we list the most up-to-date telemedicine procedure claims data.

25 most reported telemedicine procedures in 2022

Fig. 1 Data from Definitive Healthcare’s Medical Claims database. Data is from the calendar year 2022 through August (most recent available). Commercial claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States. Data accessed September 2022. 

Many of the top telemedicine procedure codes for 2022 relate to outpatient visits with established patients over a certain period of time. For example, CPT codes 99213, 99214, and 99212 (ranks 1,3, and 5 respectively) describe patient visits for acute injuries or illnesses of varying degrees of severity. CPT 99213 is coded when a patient with a stable chronic illness or acute uncomplicated injury meets with their doctor for 20-29 minutes. However, code 99214 describes a patient with a progressing illness or an injury that requires potential surgical treatment. Finally, code 99212 describes a patient with a condition that requires over-the-counter medication for treatment.

Many telemedicine procedures in 2022 were for therapy-related services. CPT codes 90837 and 90834 describe psychotherapy sessions to treat symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stressors at work and home. Other types of therapy, like speech and hearing (CPT 92507) and therapeutic behavioral services (CPT H2019) also feature on our list. From our research into telemedicine procedures, we’ve previously identified that therapies and mental health-related specialties are a good fit for telemedicine.

25 most reported telemedicine procedures in 2021

Fig. 2 Data from Definitive Healthcare’s Medical Claims database. Data is from the calendar year 2021. Commercial claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States. Data updated as of September 2022.

Comparing 2021 against 2022, we can see that the types of telemedicine procedures performed remained relatively the same. Many of the top codes are shared between the two lists, with slight position changes. CPT code 99213 remains the most common procedure performed for the two years. Meanwhile, code 90837, which is ranked third on our 2021 list, moves up to take the second-place position in 2022. Both lists prominently feature procedures related to therapy and psychiatry.

25 most reported telemedicine procedures in 2020

Fig. 3 Data from Definitive Healthcare’s Medical Claims database. Data is from the calendar year 2020. Commercial claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States. Data updated as of September 2022.

Like 2022 and 2021, we can see that many of the same telemedicine procedures were performed in 2020.

It’s worth noting that procedure volume in 2020 is significantly higher than in 2019 and the years ahead of it. Telehealth encounters during this year had a staggering 8,336% national increase, with more than 160 million total visits. Patient visits would fall considerably in 2021 to roughly 120 million encounters. And while our claims data for telemedicine procedures is limited to only the first half of 2022, there have been only 59 million total encounters to date.

It seems likely that, as time goes on and the healthcare ecosystem adjusts to the consequences of the pandemic, telemedicine encounters will decline until it reaches a state of equilibrium. You can learn more about the future of telehealth, and which specialties the service isn’t a good fit for, by reading our blog here.

25 most reported telemedicine procedures in 2019

Fig. 4 Data from Definitive Healthcare’s Medical Claims database. Data is from the calendar year 2020. Commercial claims data is sourced from multiple medical claims clearinghouses in the United States. Data updated as of September 2022.

For 2019, the most used telehealth procedure code was telehealth facility fee (Q3014), a CPT code used to request reimbursement for standard technology maintenance. Providers can report this code alongside any telehealth service given for assistance with any associated maintenance costs. As we can see from the charts, CPT code Q3014 fell sharply in the years that followed. The procedure dropped to rank 10 in 2020, and then once again to rank 11 where it would remain until the present day.

What’s the difference between telemedicine and telehealth?

While telemedicine and telehealth are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between the terms. Telemedicine refers to the practice of medicine using technology to deliver care at a distance. Telehealth, however, instead refers to the technologies and services that provide care at a distance.

Regardless of precise definitions, both telemedicine and telehealth are vital to breaking down barriers to care. The expansion of telehealth technology can significantly increase the accessibility of healthcare, especially to people living in rural areas and underserved communities.

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