The pandemic created a telemedicine bubble that is now deflating. Telehealth visits as a percentage of total healthcare encounters peaked at 40% in mid-2020 and have settled around 15-20% in 2026. Companies that were valued on the assumption that telemedicine would permanently replace in-person care — Teladoc (down 80%+ from peak), Amwell (down 90%+) — are facing harsh market corrections. But the correction does not mean telemedicine is dead. It means the market is maturing, and the winners will look very different from the pandemic-era darlings.
What is actually happening in telemedicine. The hybrid model is winning. Patients want the option of virtual visits for convenience (follow-ups, prescription refills, minor concerns) but strongly prefer in-person care for initial evaluations, physical examinations, and serious conditions. Platforms that offer only virtual care are struggling because they serve only a subset of healthcare needs. Platforms that facilitate both virtual and in-person care — like OpenMyPro, which lets patients choose their preferred modality — are growing because they match the full spectrum of patient preferences.
Specialty-specific virtual care is the bright spot. While general telemedicine visits have declined, virtual visits for mental health (therapy, psychiatry, counseling) have increased 300%+ from pre-pandemic levels and show no signs of declining. Mental health is uniquely suited for virtual delivery — there is no physical examination, the session format (conversation) translates perfectly to video, and patients often prefer the privacy and convenience of home-based sessions. Other specialties with strong virtual adoption: nutrition counseling, health coaching, and follow-up consultations.
The platforms that will win post-pandemic share three characteristics. First, they are modality-agnostic — facilitating both virtual and in-person care rather than forcing one model. Second, they focus on cash-pay segments where telemedicine adoption is highest (mental health, wellness, coaching). Third, they provide booking and matching value rather than trying to be the delivery platform — the infrastructure layer that connects patients and providers, regardless of whether the visit happens virtually or in person.
OpenMyPro is positioned squarely in this winning model. We are a booking and matching platform (not a telemedicine provider), we support both virtual and in-person visits (patient choice), and our core market is cash-pay healthcare where virtual adoption is strongest. The post-pandemic telemedicine correction does not threaten our model — it validates it, because it demonstrates that the valuable layer is the patient-provider connection, not the video call technology.
For entrepreneurs considering telemedicine: the opportunity is not in building another Zoom-for-healthcare. It is in building the infrastructure that helps patients find the right provider and book the right type of visit (virtual or in-person) based on their specific needs. The matching and booking layer is where lasting value is created — video call technology is a commodity that can be integrated from any provider (Twilio, Daily.co, Zoom). Own the relationship, not the technology.
The telemedicine market will exceed $200 billion by 2030, but the value will be concentrated in platforms that enable the full healthcare experience rather than those that only provide a virtual pipe. The future of telemedicine is not virtual care replacing in-person care — it is intelligent platforms that help patients access the right care, through the right modality, at the right time.