In response to patient demand, physician interest in telemedicine doubles

When it comes to telemedicine, more physicians are getting on board, with interest doubling over a three-year period.

In the first-ever analysis of physician interest in telemedicine, the number of physicians who self-reported telemedicine as a skill doubled between 2015 and 2018 and continues to increase annually by 20%, according to a report from Doximity, the professional medical network.

The interest from physicians matches the growing interest in telemedicine by patients, Peter Alperin, M.D., vice president of connectivity solutions at Doximity, said in an interview with FierceHealthcare. The growth correlates with the increasing number of telemedicine patient visits, which has jumped 261% annually between 2015 and 2017, according to a recent JAMA study.