Consumers Plan to Continue Using Telehealth Post COVID-19, but Security Concerns Prevail

Some 54% of Americans opted for virtual medical visits during the coronavirus pandemic, and 70% plan to continue them, but privacy and data protection are major concerns, said a Tuesday report from CynergisTek. Telehealth was the preferred alternative to in-person visits and elective care during the pandemic, but half of survey respondents said they would limit use if a telehealth data breach occurred. “Major vulnerabilities are emerging around privacy and security standards for video conferencing and messaging apps when used for telehealth (such as consumer technologies like Zoom), which can be easily infiltrated -- providing hackers with additional opportunities to breach highly-sensitive information,” said CynergisTek CEO Caleb Barlow. Of those who have used telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, 73 percent report they'll continue virtual visits after the pandemic passes, said the cybersecurity firm. Nearly 80% of men who have used a telehealth solution during the pandemic will continue using them post-COVID-19 vs. 67% of women. Among age groups, 81% of millennials plan to continue using telehealth options post-pandemic, 79% of Gen Xers.