Telehealth Consultations: Skype, Zoom and Telephone Consultations
Video Consultations (Skype and Zoom):
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For our patients we can offer consultations via the free internet video telephony program "Skype" or the Zoom video conferencing program so many of you have become familiar with during the COVID19 epidemic.
- This is only available for existing patients - for medicare to re-imburse you for a telemedicine consultation you must have been seen physically in the practice within the last 12 months. We have the programs installed in all the consulting rooms. Some of us are more contented or fluent in using one or the other of these programs.
- Until COVID the cost of these consultations to you was normally exactly the same a a consultation in the surgery (see Quacks Billing ). Unlike consultations in the surgery there was no medicare rebate available. Medicare normally required your physical presence at the consultation for you to be able to claim a rebate. Since the start of the COVID19 outbreak a Medicare rebate has become available under certain conditions.
- Generally we would use telehealth consultations for follow up of conditions or results not requiring physical examination - i.e. eminently suitable for following up home BP readings and adjusting dose, monitoring BSL levels with diabetes, discussion prior to organizing overseas travel, or following recovery from depression. They are ideal for situations where physical contact should be avoided or is not feasible, for example where the patient or doctor has mild COVID19 or for advice for patients travelling overseas. Examples of conditions which not suitable include things like abdominal pains, injured limbs, etc where a good look and feel may be important in arriving at the correct diagnosis and treatment.
- Available for advice only for patients traveling overseas.
- Initially this was set up as a service for patients on properties "out west" where travel to town may take hours and involve being away from the property for a day or more, all for a brief visit to the doctor! However it is ideal for our patients traveling as "Grey Nomads" , working out of town and the like. It will be very useful for monitoring Coronovirus patients.
How it works:
- Check that you have Zoom or Skype set up on you computer and the video and audio are of good quality. Make sure you are familiar with the use of the program.
- Ring the surgery and book an appointment as you would for any other appointment, tell the staff your skype address (if using Skype), or confirm your email address or mobile phone number (if using Zoom) before they will book the appointment. If using Skype they will contact you on skype to check that your video and audio are adequate for a consultation, they will book an appointment. If using Zoom you will be sent an email or SMS link to click on at the consultation time.
- At the appointment time the doctor will contact you via Skype, or open the meeting on Zoom. Like all consultation times in General Practice there will be patients booked before you and after you and the timing of the consultation will depend on the time these consultations take, emergencies or unexpectedly long consultations occurring before your appointment may cause delays in the consultation start.
What you will need to consult via Skype:
- Computer or "Smart" Mobile Phone
- Internet Connection, or phone connection of reasonable speed and reliability
- If using a computer - A web cam / microphone installed.
- Skype installed on your computer or mobile phone (can be installed from download on www.skype.com or the relevant app store on your phone)
- Adequate lighting.
What you will need to consult via Zoom:
Phone Consultations:
- Medicare rebate for a phone consult is available only if a video consultation is declined, unavailable or not suitable.
