Women Are Leading the Shift to Virtual Care—Here’s What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know

This is the third part of our five-part content series exploring trends in virtual care, weight management, and chronic disease prevention. Stay tuned for the next article: How Virtual Care is Changing the Economics of Chronic Disease Management

The healthcare system wasn’t built for consumers—but consumers are reshaping it anyway. Virtual-first care, mobile apps, and digital health platforms are putting more power in patients’ hands, and no group is pushing this shift harder than women.

New data from Wheel’s 2024 Virtual Care Horizons report confirms what many in healthcare already suspect: women are driving the demand for more accessible, personalized, and convenient care. In 2024, 73% of virtual care users identified as female, making women the dominant consumers in digital health.

For digital health and pharma leaders, the message is clear—ignore this shift, and you risk falling behind.

The healthcare power users: Women drive demand and decision-making

Women are the primary healthcare decision-makers for themselves and their families, accounting for up to 80% of health-related choices in the US and influencing care choices for children, spouses, and aging parents. Their role as caregivers increases the need for convenient, time-efficient healthcare options, and digital healthcare has proven to be a trusted and growing solution. In fact, a 2024 study in Medical Economics revealed that 66% of virtual care users across the industry are women. 

Wheel data also shows that women are consistently among the earliest and most engaged users of virtual care, particularly in areas like:

• Reproductive and sexual health
• Weight management
• Mental health
• Preventive and chronic care

Why? Because women often carry the burden of navigating healthcare not only for themselves, but for their families. They’re also more likely to seek care proactively, embrace new modalities, and demand options that fit their lives—not the other way around. Their behaviors are setting new expectations for what care should look like: accessible, personalized, and continuous.

Consumer expectations are now healthcare expectations

Across industries, consumerization has changed how people expect to interact with services. Healthcare is no different.

Today’s patients—especially women—expect:

• Convenience: On-demand access, flexible scheduling, and mobile-first experiences
• Transparency: Clear pricing, upfront information, and easy-to-navigate systems
• Personalization: Care that adapts to their needs, not a one-size-fits-all model

In addition, virtual care has become the default choice for many treatments and use cases, as patients actively choose to engage digitally rather than in-person, even when traditional options are available. Notably, 97% of virtual visits on the Wheel platform are paid out-of-pocket, signaling that patients value direct-access care, even when insurance is available.

• Half of consumers (52%) say virtual care motivated them to seek out preventative care that they wouldn't have if it required going in person.
• 1 in 3 consumers (37%) admit ignoring a health concern that required an in-person visit.
• 60% of consumers would pay more for virtual primary care over in-person visits, and nearly half would pay $20 or more for virtual access. 
• More than half of consumers and clinicians believe they receive and deliver better and more effective care via telehealth - reinforcing the shift toward digital-first healthcare models.

Healthcare organizations that fail to recognize these growing expectations aren’t just behind—they’re losing trust and relevance.

Women are shaping the next generation of care models

Wheel’s report reveals a powerful trend: consumer-centric programs are gaining traction fastest, and they’re often designed with women in mind.
We’re seeing:

• Virtual-first models tailored to contraceptive counseling, fertility, menopause management, maternal health, and hormone and chronic condition management
• Hybrid care experiences that blend digital tools with in-person support
• Community-based platforms that offer peer support, coaching, and education alongside clinical care

This shift isn’t niche—it’s the future. And women are the catalyst.

Key trends in women’s virtual healthcare

With strong consumer demand, employer investment, and a massive market opportunity, virtual women’s health services will continue to shape the future of digital healthcare.

Three key trends are shaping the next generation of women’s health. 

• Expanding digital-first women’s health services. Investment in FemTech solutions has increased 1,000% over the past decade, showing the growing financial opportunity in this space. Providers who prioritize comprehensive, patient-centered women’s health solutions are well-positioned for long-term success in 2025 and beyond and ripe for investment.
• Shifting employer benefits toward women’s health. 75% of companies now prioritize women’s health benefits to attract and retain talent. Employers are expanding access to virtual care, prescription delivery, and local clinic partnerships to support women’s healthcare needs.
• Decentralized care and out-of-pocket spending. Out-of-pocket healthcare spending grew 7% in 2023 and was valued at $505.7 billion. With 97% of Wheel-powered visits already cash pay, it’s clear that seamless, direct-access virtual care is now a consumer expectation.

What this means for healthcare innovators

For digital health and pharma leaders, designing for women isn’t just about equity—it’s about market fit.

To stay competitive, companies must invest in consumer-grade experiences. Think like a retailer or a tech company, not a legacy healthcare provider. Digital-first services tailored to women’s health needs are the key to delivering meaningful changes in accessibility.

Organizations also must co-create with women. Involve them in product design, feedback loops, and decision-making. They know what they need. Prioritizing seamless, patient-driven experiences is critical to establishing trust and driving lifetime value.

And to foster long-term adoption and engagement, programs and services must be designed for the ecosystem. Women are caregivers, decision-makers, and advocates. Build for the whole context of their healthcare lives.

Bottom line: Consumerization is here—and women are leading it. The question isn’t whether the system will change. It’s who will change with it. For healthcare innovators, now is the time to listen, adapt, and build solutions that reflect the needs of the most influential healthcare consumers.

Discover more insights in the full 2024 Virtual Care Horizons report.