Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of healthcare providers have shifted their focus from walk-ins to providing virtual healthcare services.
However, this begs the question, how viable is telemedicine in 2025 without a pandemic? And if so, can it replace traditional check-ups?
Let’s find out.
Advantages of Virtual Primary Care
To check the viability of these services, we have to understand exactly how virtual primary care services are being used and what advantages they offer for patients.
Accessibility and Convenience
Accessibility and convenience are perhaps the most important benefits of opting for telemedicine, especially for patients in remote areas. In a recent survey with participants residing in rural areas, 88% of the respondents stated that they are in favor of virtual healthcare.
Also, patients with mobility issues do not need to hire a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or call an ambulance to visit a clinic or hospital, adding to its accessibility.
Continuous Monitoring
Choosing an online primary care doctor enables continuous patient monitoring, which can be really useful, particularly for patients with chronic conditions. Technologies like remote patient monitoring (RPM) can support regular tracking of vital signs and health metrics, enabling real-time adjustments during the treatment.
Cost-effective
There’s no easy way to say this, the US healthcare system is notably expensive. This is why virtual primary care doctors appear as viable options for patients with frequent doctor visits. Depending on the plan or virtual healthcare provider, you can save quite a bit compared to walk-in clinics.
So to answer if these are viable in 2025? Yes, virtual healthcare services are absolutely viable in 2025. According to a Statista study, approximately 116.7 million users opted for virtual healthcare services, highlighting its growing adoption and viability in 2025.
Disadvantages of Virtual Primary Care
Despite the clear and significant benefits of virtual healthcare, there are several factors holding it back from replacing traditional check-ups.
Doctor-Patient Relationship
According to a study, respondents mentioned that this form of healthcare hinders them from building genuine patient and provider relationships. This lack of personal connection can result in patients feeling unheard or lose trust in their doctor.
Technological Challenges
As per statistics by CDC, a large number of patients are over the age of 60. This means, that the patient group that requires telemedicine the most is more likely to experience issues with technology, booking an appointment, and more.
This is why even healthcare providers prefer in-person patient visits for senior citizens.
Virtual Limitations
Even if we hypothetically take into consideration that each patient and doctor have a strong internet connection and no interruptions, there are certain medical exams, like checking reflexes, that are just not possible virtually.
Certain medical examinations and procedures require physical presence for accurate assessment and intervention. While virtual care is suitable for consultations, follow-ups, and management of chronic conditions, it simply cannot replicate the comprehensive evaluations conducted during in-person check-ups.
NOTE: It should be noted that these disadvantages have more to do with limitations of technology, rather than the service itself.
Clinical Effectiveness of Virtual Primary Care
We went through the pros and cons of this healthcare approach; however, it should be noted that the mentioned advantages and disadvantages are for the overall experience of patients. This is why it is also important to know how effective it is clinically.
As of now, we are certain that virtual doctor consultations can significantly reduce wait times and patient costs. However, researchers still lack evidence to directly compare the clinical outcomes of virtual visits and in-person visits. Despite that, it is hard to ignore the benefits offered by virtual primary care.
What About Patient Satisfaction?
Whether virtual primary care will be adopted widely in the future highly depends on patient satisfaction because it is a critical factor in the adoption and success of virtual healthcare services.
Interestingly, research indicates that patients often report high levels of satisfaction with virtual consultations.
According to a study, respondents preferred video doctor visits over audio and in-person clinical visits.
So, Can Virtual Primary Care Replace Traditional Clinic Walk-ins?
As of 2025, virtual primary care has proven itself as a viable alternative to traditional clinic walk-in by offering increased accessibility, continuous monitoring, and cost savings.
However, it faces challenges such as technological barriers, not to mention limitations in conducting physical examinations (maybe remote physical examination will become a thing in the distant future).
So, in conclusion, while virtual care may not entirely replace traditional check-ups just yet, it can significantly complement them, leading to a more integrated and patient-centered healthcare experience.