Comparing 2019 to 2021 data provides new insights into patient perceptions and use of telemedicine
Telehealth in Rural Michigan: The Story That Took the World by Storm
On a wintery day in Lansing, Michigan, the folks at Connected Nation (CN) decided to roll out a fresh edition of their monster study on telehealth. Think of it as the sequel to the 2020 hit, Bringing Health Care Home: Telehealth Trends in Rural Michigan. If you’ve ever wondered how rural folks are catching up with the digital health revolution, this is your ticket.
Why This Matter Became Urgent
Eric Frederick, the big cheese over at CN Michigan, spilled the beans:
- “We had no idea just how hot this study would be. A few days after our key findings dropped, the COVID‑19 pandemic shut everything down.”
- “The world was suddenly staring at telehealth as the hero keeping people safe.”
In short: the study happened before the pandemic, and now it’s the most relevant thing anyone can read.
Numbers That Will Blow Your Mind
By July 2021, Medicare patients were using telehealth a staggering 3,003% more than before the pandemic. That’s like going from making a cup of coffee to brewing a whole coffee shop’s worth of cups – all without leaving your living room.
Zooming into Five Rural Counties
To dig deeper, CN Michigan revisited the same five counties from the original study:
- Dickinson
- Gladwin
- Osceola
- Roscommon
- Sanilac
The Real Takeaway
Chris McGovern, the research maestro, summed it up:
- “People in these counties are not just using telehealth. They’re sticking with it and not going back to the old-fashioned way of huddling inside a clinic.”
- “Watching how the radios on their phones talk in real time, folks are saving loads of time, money, and, mind you, the whole hassle of taking a day off work or scrambling to get childcare.”
What’s Holding Telehealth Back?
The biggest roadblocks look straightforward:
- Internet speed – rural areas still lag behind in high‑speed connectivity.
- Regulatory constraints – there are pesky rules that limit how doctors can use telemedicine.
Fix those, and you’ll have a nation of patients who are thriving digitally, without the textbook “awesome” just stutters.
TL;DR
Telehealth exploded in rural Michigan during COVID, saving patients time and money, but it’s still boxed in by slow internet and outdated rules. The study points the way: upgrade the broadband and loosen the legal leash, and we’ll keep this digital health win going.
