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your doctor's appointments in the last couple of years been virtual? Had you ever done a virtual health appointment before the pandemic? The number of people using telehealth services increased by a factor of 38 during the pandemic.3 The benefits of telehealth are clear during a disease outbreak. People who might have been skeptical about virtual appointments before suddenly saw a tangible upside to them: If you're not feeling well, it's a lot safer to do your appointment from home where you don't have to worry about infecting anyone or getting sick. Once you try telehealth, though, it becomes clear that the benefits go way beyond limiting your exposure to people who are sick. Going to the doctor can be a time-consuming activity, as you have to take time off work or find someone to watch your kids, travel to the doctor's office, sit in a waiting room, check out after your appointment, and then commute back home or to work. That might be worth it for some types of visits, but it feels increasingly unnecessary for others--especially behavioral health visits. Seeing your therapist is a lot less time-consuming and easier to fit in your day when you only need to turn a laptop on. Sessions can be as long or as short as needed. A fifteen-minute session might not feel worth it if you have to go to someone's office, but it makes a lot more sense from home. Plus, many people feel more comfortable in their own space than in a clinical setting. Other types of doctor's visits might become more flexible as new tools emerge too. Right now, when it's time for your annual physical, you probably need to go into your doctor's office to get your vitals taken and your blood drawn--but what if you had a private, secure device at home that your doctor could control remotely to test your blood pressure?