Virtual Care Is Here to Stay. Now What?

Epic Research data shows virtual primary care has stabilized at 6–7%, with mental health leading all specialties at 28.2%

30 Mar 2026

After years of pandemic-era surges and subsequent corrections, American telehealth appears to have reached a steady state. Data from Epic Research, published by the American Hospital Association in March 2026, shows virtual primary care visits holding at 6–7% of all encounters, a level that analysts regard as a genuine equilibrium rather than a continuing decline.

The trajectory reflects a technology that has matured. Telehealth peaked at more than 8% of primary care encounters in 2022 before settling into its current range. The plateau signals a considered balance between digital convenience and in-person care, rather than a retreat from either.

Mental health remains the standout specialty. As of December 2025, 28.2% of all mental health visits in the United States were conducted virtually, the highest rate across any clinical category. For patients navigating therapist shortages, extended wait times, and the social barriers of in-person treatment, virtual care has become the primary point of access.

Geography complicates the picture. Urban patients now use telehealth at more than twice the rate of those in smaller towns, reversing pre-pandemic patterns in which rural communities drove early adoption out of necessity. The divergence points to an emerging equity problem as virtual care becomes a mainstream urban convenience while smaller communities fall further behind.

One finding runs counter to prevailing assumptions. Non-English speakers, including those using Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, and Persian, are accessing telehealth at higher rates than English-speaking patients. The data challenges the view that digital health inevitably widens linguistic gaps, though questions about encounter quality and accessibility in these interactions remain unresolved.

For health systems, the analysis arrives at a practical moment. With Medicare's telehealth extension running through 2027, providers have a clearer planning window than at any point since the public health emergency. Virtual care has moved from contingency measure to permanent component, with utilisation rates and patient profiles that allow for deliberate infrastructure decisions.

What remains uncertain is whether reimbursement policy, digital infrastructure, and institutional commitment will keep pace with the role telehealth now plays in the broader system.