Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Telemedicine in Spain - Statistics & Facts
Spain was the country with the largest share of people receiving a telemedicine consultation during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic among members of the European Union. It was estimated that over seven in ten Spaniards took part in a medical consultation either online or by phone during that period. In comparison, that was the case for only a fourth of the French population. It is estimated that by the end of 2023 revenue of the online doctors' consultations market in Spain could reach a value of nearly 295 million U.S. dollars, an increase of 312 percent in comparison to 2017 values. By that time, average revenue per user of online doctors' consultations in the European country is forecast to reach 220.3 U.S. dollars, for a market comprising over 1.3 million users.
As of that year, consultations with primary care physicians were the most commonly used service among online patients, with nearly nine in every ten users choosing these kinds of appointments. Consultations with a medical specialist and those regarding a request for general information followed, with 34 and 31 percent of telemedicine users, respectively. Less common consultations were those related to the areas of psychology and dentistry, with a share of only nine and six percent, respectively. Pediatricians were consulted by around 12 percent of online patients.
What characterizes the Spanish telemedicine market?
The telemedicine market in Spain is characterized by a majority of relatively young female users. As of 2022, it was estimated that around six in every ten women in the European country would make use of telemedicine services, compared to close to five in ten men. For people aged 26 to 40 years, the share of telemedicine users would reach 58 percent, while 54 percent of people aged 66 and older would take part in online doctor consultations, with Castile- La Mancha and Murcia the Spanish regions with the largest share of users.As of that year, consultations with primary care physicians were the most commonly used service among online patients, with nearly nine in every ten users choosing these kinds of appointments. Consultations with a medical specialist and those regarding a request for general information followed, with 34 and 31 percent of telemedicine users, respectively. Less common consultations were those related to the areas of psychology and dentistry, with a share of only nine and six percent, respectively. Pediatricians were consulted by around 12 percent of online patients.
Opportunities and constraints
With over 70 percent of Spaniards taking part in a 2022 survey agreeing with statements such as “waiting times to get an appointment with doctors are too long”, and “the health care system is overstretched”, telemedicine services could prove a complementary offer within a health care system challenged by marked discrepancies between supply and demand. Additionally, some of the main advantages of online consultations as mentioned by Spanish patients include reduced waiting times before an appointment, a lower risk of contracting diseases, and access to medical documentation from anywhere. The biggest perceived constraints, however, are the impossibility of physical examinations, a preference for in-person interactions with doctors, and technical problems.
