Over the last couple of weeks, the entire world has been met with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and this has meant for medical professionals that the use of telecommunications to protect their practice, staff and patients is needed more than ever.
We break down what telehealth means for your practice below and how it can help you and your staff stay connected with patients during this time.
What is telehealth?
Telehealth is the means by which people can access health and well-being services irrespective of their location and physical distance from healthcare practitioners and infrastructure.
Telehealth services rely on a range of information and communication technologies to deliver health services and education while allowing you to continue to care for your patients.
One of the main ways in which we provide telehealth services is through phone and video conferencing.
Why do I need telehealth in my practice?
Many patients are avoiding coming into practices because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it, therefore, limits how they can receive medical care and treatment. However, it’s still crucial they receive the right care when it’s needed the most. We are also seeing Practitioners who are required to self-isolate but would like to continue practicing remotely.
Telehealth makes it possible for those patients to receive medical advice and treatment without having to come into your practice. Not only does this mean your practice, staff, and patients are protected, but it also allows you to keep your business operating and ensure patients receive the same continuity of care they deserve and they don’t go somewhere else to find that option.
Since we created the self-triage booking flow for COVID-19, over 31,000 Australian patients have filled this out and are now looking for an appointment online, with over 65% of those patients requiring a telehealth consult for their appointment.
What are the options for telehealth?
We are now offering two new telehealth solutions:
- An MBS telehealth solution for eligible patients to receive a bulk-billed telehealth appointment
- A paid telehealth solution with the patient pre-paying at the time of the booking. For more information on these options, check out our FAQ here.
Why choose HealthEngine as your telehealth provider?
By choosing HealthEngine as your telehealth provider, you are visible on Australia’s number one healthcare booking destination for patients to connect with a trusted practitioner, 24/7.
Plus, we make it quick and easy:
- Low cost to test telehealth consults in your practice starting today
- Risk-free with secure upfront patient pre-payments
- Zero training and easy setup with existing booking flow and full PMS integration
