Telehealth for Primary Care Levels Off: Epic

Why It Matters

Stabilized telehealth rates signal a new baseline for virtual primary care, influencing provider staffing, reimbursement models, and health‑equity strategies.

Key Takeaways

• Telehealth now 6‑7% of primary care appointments
• Metropolitan areas lead telehealth usage, rural lagging
• Adults 25‑39 remain top telehealth users
• Non‑English speakers, especially Chinese, Persian, Portuguese, use more

Pulse Analysis

The Epic study, covering 411 million primary‑care encounters between July 2022 and October 2025, confirms that the pandemic‑induced telehealth boom has settled into a modest but persistent share of care delivery. At 6‑7 % of visits, virtual appointments now represent a stable baseline rather than a temporary surge, aligning with broader industry forecasts that predict a long‑term, hybrid model of in‑person and remote care. This equilibrium offers health systems a clearer signal for resource allocation, from staffing virtual clinics to negotiating reimbursement rates with payers.

Geographic disparities remain pronounced. Metropolitan regions continue to dominate telehealth adoption, benefitting from robust broadband infrastructure and higher concentrations of tech‑savvy patients. In contrast, micropolitan, rural, and small‑town areas lag behind, reflecting persistent connectivity gaps and differing provider workflows. For policymakers and health‑system executives, these patterns underscore the need for targeted investments in digital infrastructure and training to avoid widening access gaps as virtual care becomes a permanent fixture.

Demographically, the 25‑39 age cohort leads usage, likely driven by comfort with digital platforms and competing time constraints. Notably, non‑English‑speaking patients—especially those speaking Chinese, Persian, and Portuguese—show higher telehealth participation, suggesting that language‑specific platforms and culturally tailored outreach can boost engagement. As health equity remains a priority, providers can leverage these insights to design multilingual telehealth solutions, ensuring that virtual care expands access rather than reinforces existing disparities. The stabilization of telehealth thus marks both an operational baseline and a strategic inflection point for the industry.