Getting started: Using telehealth for men’s health
Telehealth can help health care providers and organizations deliver many men’s health services in a convenient, private, and flexible way.
On this page:
Men’s health services that can be delivered by telehealth
To effectively integrate telehealth into the delivery of health care for men, it is important to understand which services are best suited for virtual care. Services that may be delivered using telehealth include:
- Primary and preventive care. Telehealth can support health risk reviews, preventive counseling, screening reminders, lab and test result review, medication review, and follow-up plans.
- Sexual, reproductive, and urinary health. Providers can offer telehealth for sexually transmitted infection (STI) education, risk assessment, test ordering, results review, and follow-up treatment. Telehealth may be appropriate for concerns such as erectile dysfunction, fertility questions, urinary symptoms, and symptoms of low testosterone.
- Behavioral health. Virtual visits can be used for screening, assessment, therapy, medication follow-up, and care coordination for depression, anxiety, stress, sleep concerns, and substance use disorders.
- Chronic disease prevention and management. Telehealth can help with follow-up care, lifestyle counseling, remote patient monitoring, and medication management for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and sleep apnea.
- Nutrition, physical activity, and healthy habits. Providers can use telehealth to help patients set goals and support healthier eating, movement, and sleep.
- Cancer prevention, screening and follow-up. Telehealth can support cancer risk reviews, screening reminders, test preparation, result review, follow-up care for cancers that affect men, such as prostate and colorectal cancers.
- Follow-up care. Telehealth can be used to review treatment plans, refill medications, check symptoms, coordinate referrals, and answer questions.
Tip: While telehealth is effective for many aspects of men’s health care, certain services require an in-person evaluation or care. Schedule an in-person, urgent, or emergency care when the patient needs hands-on care, tests, or immediate evaluation.
Benefits of telehealth for men’s health
Telehealth can make it easier for men to get health care by reducing barriers, such as lack of time, long travel distances, discomfort talking about health concerns, stigma, and limited access to services in their communities. It also offers convenient and flexible visits that can help men seek care sooner and stay connected to follow-up care. Benefits of telehealth for men’s health include:
- Privacy and anonymity. Reduces stigma and fear of judgment, especially for sensitive issues, such as sexual or mental health.
- Convenience. Telehealth often requires no travel and may be easier to schedule.
- Flexibility. Appointments may be scheduled outside normal office hours, offering flexibility for those who work.
- Access. Telehealth helps patients in rural areas, patients without transportation, and those in areas with no specialists.
- Continuity. Telehealth makes it easier to have frequent check-ins, medication follow-up, remote patient monitoring, and care coordination.
- Prevention. Virtual visits support healthy habits, screening reminders, risk reductions, and early follow-up.
More information:
Telehealth and remote patient monitoring — Health Resources and Services Administration
Telehealth for behavioral health care — Health Resources and Services Administration
Telehealth for HIV care — Health Resources and Services Administration
Telehealth for prevention and management of chronic disease — Health Resources and Services Administration
Telehealth for rural areas — Health Resources and Services Administration