According to a new survey commissioned by SimpleHealth, an online reproductive health control provider and prescriber, just ten percent of patients who rely on telemedicine services for birth control would return to in-person care for birth control after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.

SimpleHealth asked 100,000 people who get their birth control online from a broad range of providers, including Nurx and the Pill Club.

According to the survey:

  • More than 86% of respondents say online birth control providers like SimpleHealth are easier to use than traditional doctors offices or in-person health clinics.
  • Nearly 60% of respondents say online birth control providers are more affordable.
  • Nearly 60% who adopted telemedicine during the pandemic cited limited availability of doctors appointments.
  • Many respondents (45%) cited concerns about COVID-19 and the desire to comply with stay-at-home orders (35%).
  • Over one quarter of patients (26.2%) cited loss of health insurance as the major factor for adopting online birth control prescription. 
  • Nearly one third of respondents (31%) say that online providers are their first, and primary source of birth control.

“While patient surveys are nothing new, we solicited telemedicine patients from across the country because we wanted candid answers about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their relationships with birth control,” explained Carrie SiuButt, CEO of SimpleHealth. “What we’re seeing is that online healthcare services and telemedicine are fundamentally altering the way people access medication like birth control, and that this trend is likely here to stay.

“While concerns about saving time, user friendliness and public health are helpful indicators for growing businesses like ours, the survey also confirmed some tentative rationale behind the burgeoning popularity of telemedicine. Unsurprisingly, access to affordable healthcare and low-cost medications are a primary reason that patients start or maintain their prescriptions online, rather than book an appointment at the doctor’s office and take a trip to the pharmacy,” added SiuButt. “This survey helped us gain a larger understanding of our patient base that will not only inform my decisions in the year ahead as CEO, but help us maintain an honest and loyal relationship with our patients, who rely on the reliability and affordability of our services.

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