What Speeds Are Needed for Telehealth?

"One of the most challenging and critical tasks in telemedicine research is to define broadband access," wrote Amy O’Shea, assistant research professor at the University of Iowa, in a 2024 paper for the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

O’Shea reviewed the records of nearly 7 million veterans for a 2022 JAMA Network Open paper. She compared veterans who had access to optimal high-speed internet with those where only suboptimal service was available. She found that veterans living in places with faster broadband speeds had more primary care video visits after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic.

O’Shea classified speeds as follows, in megabits per second (Mbps):

Note: The study states that depending on the number of devices simultaneously streaming content, latency, and other factors, higher download and upload speeds may be needed. The Federal Communications Commission updated its minimum standard speed in March 2024 to 100/20 Mbps.
Sources: O’Shea, et al., Journal of Medical Internet Research ; O’Shea, et al., JAMA Network Open; Federal Communications Commission
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