Face to face or Telehealth?

“We’re seeing an interesting convergence of technology, medicine, social interests and human progress.”

John Nosta

COVID19 has certainly levelled the playing field for those in regional and rural Australia, provided that you have access to a good internet stream or service and Telehealth systems.

I personally utilise a Telehealth platform in my private practice and whilst it is a great alternative to face to face – not everyone can or should utilise this.  The choice is always personal and there a few factors to consider.

• Is there anyone present in the home (privacy issues) and would the person attending the Telehealth appointment be at risk (safety issues).  For these people, perhaps utilising the support of a Health Service may be beneficial and reduce the safety and privacy issues.
• You also require secure internet and not everyone has access to this.  We also require a phone number to ring should the internet fail.

This is a great option if you are away on leave or relocated to another region.  Provided that your health professional is located in Australia (and are you) – you are still eligible for the Medicare subsidy.

I utilise both face to face sessions and Telehealth with my General Practitioner, this is dependent on whether I feel that they need to have a physical inspection of myself and my ailments. 

The most wonderful thing about Telehealth is that we can still attend scheduled appointments, even when unwell with cold or flu symptoms.