Rock Health Top 50: The Future of Telehealth Outcomes

This month, we’re celebrating our CEO Michelle Davey, recognized as one of Rock Health’s Top 50 in Digital Health for advancing tech-enabled, high-quality virtual care. It’s a proud moment for the entire Wheel team, and also a reminder that telehealth is shifting from a focus on convenient care delivery toward a new standard: measurable outcomes.

From telehealth convenience to outcome-driven care

The first era of telemedicine was defined by ease. Patients could book an online doctor appointment from their phone, see a clinician in minutes, and get a prescription delivered to their doorstep. That was revolutionary, and it completely reshaped what patients expect from access to care. Patients who are used to the simplicity of ordering groceries, booking travel, or managing finances online now expect their healthcare to feel just as seamless, and today that vision is finally within reach.

But as we celebrate our recognition as one of Rock Health’s Top 50 in Digital Health, it’s clear that we’re entering a new era, one where convenience is no longer the finish line. It’s just the starting line. The next chapter of virtual healthcare will be measured in outcomes. Are patients getting healthier? Are chronic conditions being managed earlier? Is access translating into equity?

Why outcomes matter in the next era of virtual care

Virtual care services are no longer a novelty. They are expected. Employers, payers, and life sciences partners want proof of impact, not just app downloads or appointment counts. Patients want care that solves real health problems, not just quick ones.

Recognition from Rock Health is not just an honor, it’s a signal of maturity for the entire digital health industry. We’ve grown beyond the early days of “convenience-first” solutions. Now, the industry must prove that virtual care can deliver measurable improvements in health, at scale, for diverse patient populations.

Designing telehealth programs for both convenience and outcomes

Patients shouldn’t have to choose between easy and effective care. The next wave of telehealth and virtual care innovation must be designed to deliver both. That means putting human needs at the center of the experience, reducing friction for patients and clinicians, while embedding the kind of clinical rigor that leads to measurable patient outcomes.

What does that look like in practice? 

• Frictionless virtual care journeys: A connected flow from intake to diagnosis, to treatment planning, to doorstep medication delivery. Patients shouldn’t have to chase their care across different apps, providers, or systems.
• Smarter access through telehealth technologies: Prior authorization  automation that cuts through bureaucracy and reduces dangerous treatment delays.
• Transparent pricing & payment flexibility: Whether it’s cash pay or covered care, patients want tools to compare generics, branded, and specialty drugs without the mystery or hidden costs that have plagued healthcare for decades.

Convenience opens the door. Outcomes keep people inside.

Where digital health outcomes matter most

These principles matter everywhere, but especially in care categories that have historically been underserved. Women’s health, metabolic conditions, and diabetes are prime examples of where outcomes, not just speed, are most critical and where telehealth can have transformative impact.

Take women’s health where patients encounter long wait times, dismissive encounters, or fragmented care journeys. By pairing accessibility with clinical excellence, we can redesign this experience. Imagine a woman navigating menopause that can access a specialist quickly, receive a thoughtful treatment plan, and understand her options clearly without months of waiting or guesswork.

Or consider obesity and metabolic disease. These aren’t solved in one visit. They require longitudinal, personalized support. Infrastructure that ensures patients don’t just start treatment, but stay on it, with the right monitoring and adjustments along the way, is what moves the needle on outcomes.

Building infrastructure around outcomes means patients experience more than short-term relief; they achieve healthier, longer lives.Building infrastructure around outcomes means patients experience more than convenience and short-term relief; they achieve longer, healthier lives.

Building trust in virtual care delivery

Of course, convenience without trust is fragile. A question I often hear is: “Can virtual care platforms really deliver the same level of quality as in-person care?”

The answer is yes, but only if we design with both patients and providers in mind. Building trust means embedding clinical standards, ensuring doctors have the right tools, and creating transparency at every step.

When care is seamless, reliable, and outcome-driven, patients stop questioning whether it’s “as good” as traditional care. They actually begin to recognize it as better.

The future of telehealth infrastructure

We are at an inflection point. Patients are more empowered than ever. Technology is more capable than ever. And the industry is ready for telehealth infrastructure that doesn’t just digitize the old system, but truly reimagines it.

That's why I’m excited to continue focusing on how to build virtual care infrastructure that can shape the next generation of digital health. That future is fast, transparent, outcome-driven, and above all, human at its core.

Convenience got us here. Outcomes will take us further.