| 75%Employees who would try telehealth if available | 38%Who have actually used it | 92%Unaware telemedicine was in their plan (case study) | 2–20%Typical employer telehealth utilization rate |
Here is a paradox that should give every HR director pause: 75% of employees say they would use virtual healthcare services if available. Yet only 38% have ever actually used telehealth, even when it is included in their benefits package. In one documented case study, a company discovered that 92% of its employees had no idea that telemedicine was part of their health plan at all.
This gap — between employee interest in telehealth and actual utilization — represents one of the most significant missed opportunities in workplace benefits management. Telemedicine benefits that go unused are not just a wasted investment. They are a signal failure.
Why the Adoption Gap Exists — The Five Root Causes
Root Cause 1: Employees Don’t Know They Have It
Benefits communications that mention telemedicine once during open enrollment — in a dense document that most employees do not read — do not create awareness. They create a paper trail. Genuine awareness requires repeated, specific, contextual communication.
Root Cause 2: Employees Don’t Know When to Use It
Even employees who are aware of telehealth often do not understand its full range. Many assume it is only for minor issues and not for mental health visits, dermatology concerns, or expert second opinions that represent the benefit’s deepest value.
Root Cause 3: The ‘Is This Real?’ Uncertainty
Employees who have never used telehealth sometimes harbor quiet skepticism. The answer, for the vast majority of conditions it addresses, is that the care quality is genuine — and in many dimensions (speed, convenience, cost) it is significantly better than alternatives. But that answer needs to be communicated explicitly.
Root Cause 4: Activation Friction at the Moment of Need
When an employee wakes up at midnight feeling sick, they are not going to spend 15 minutes figuring out how to access their telehealth benefit for the first time. Pre-activation — ensuring every employee has the app installed and their account set up before they need it — is essential.
Root Cause 5: No Ongoing Reinforcement
Benefits communicated once are benefits forgotten quickly. High-utilization organizations treat telehealth as an active program — with periodic reminders, specific use-case prompts tied to seasonal health concerns, and leadership modeling.
A company found that 92% of its employees had no idea telemedicine was included in their health plan. Offering the benefit is not the same as activating it.
— Expat Wealth at Work, 2025
The Activation Playbook — Driving High Telehealth Utilization
| Step | Action | Timing | What It Achieves |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-activation campaign — ensure every employee has app downloaded and account created | Week 1 of enrollment; before the first person needs it | Eliminates first-time friction at the moment of health need |
| 2 | Use-case education — communicate specific scenarios: ‘For a 2am fever, use the app’ | Month 1 onboarding communications | Removes the ‘when do I use this?’ uncertainty |
| 3 | Leadership modeling — executive director shares personal experience using the benefit | First 60 days; ideally in a team meeting | Social proof from a trusted source dramatically increases willingness to try |
| 4 | Seasonal reminders — flu season, allergy season, mental health awareness month | Quarterly at minimum | Keeps the benefit top of mind when specific health needs are most likely |
| 5 | New employee onboarding inclusion — telehealth setup is part of day-one checklist | Every new hire, on their first day | Ensures every team member is activated before they need care |
Third Sector Benefits — Enrollment Plus Activation
Third Sector Benefits doesn’t just enroll your organization and move on. We help you activate the benefit — ensuring your team knows what they have, knows how to use it, and is set up to access care from day one. We provide employer communications templates, onboarding support, and guidance on the use-case scenarios that drive the highest utilization.
The HealthiestYou app is available on iOS and Android, and setup takes less than five minutes. Once created, every service is available immediately for employees and their immediate families.
Start your organization’s enrollment at thirdsectorbenefits.com or reach out to Eric Snyder at eric@thirdsectorbenefits.com. A 20-minute call is all it takes.
