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70% of Australians think all GPs should offer telehealth

Statistics show that 44% of Aussies say they would switch GPs to one that offers video telehealth.


Research shows that despite only 3% of Aussies conducting GP appointments via video calls in the last 12 months, 70% believe all GPs should offer video telehealth. This suggests that patient demand is not being met, likely due to the uncertainty around the permanence of video telehealth items, and their ultimate rebate value compared to in-person consults. With Minister Hunt announcing that the Telehealth items have been extended till the end of 2021 with a scheduled review to make them permanent.

This is great news as statistics reveal 90% of Aussies want equal Medicare rebates for video telehealth & in-person GP visits. Aussies want telehealth to be a permanent part of the healthcare system with equal rebates for both video telehealth and in person visits.

With 41.5% of Aussies reporting that their GP does not offer video telehealth services, consumers are placing pressure on GPs to offer video telehealth and create a flexible healthcare system. Consumers want choice, easier access and convenience - all of which can be offered with video telehealth services, specifically Coviu.

Telehealth can remove numerous barriers for individuals trying to access healthcare. For GPs to fully integrate video consults into their business practices, they need greater certainty that telehealth is going to be viable in the long-term.
Statistics show that 44% of Aussies say they would switch GPs to one that offers video telehealth. Prior to COVID-19, telehealth uptake was narrow and restricted to predominantly rural areas. The pandemic prompted a level of telehealth adoption that previously seemed unimaginable. Specifically Coviu, with 60,000+  users offering over 3 million healthcare video consultations across the country. “Because of the Pandemic, people have had a new way of experiencing telehealth and a new way of seeing their doctors, and people really like it”, said Pfeiffer in her appearance on Sunrise, Channel 7.

Now, Aussies want their GPs to offer video telehealth in addition to their standard in-patient offerings and would contemplate switching GP's to one that offers video telehealth - “Every day Australians are asking for it”, Pfeiffer says. With research showing 90.2% and 66.7% of respondents stating that video telehealth helps save time and makes healthcare more accessible.

Statistics also show that 72% of respondents stated that video telehealth offers comparable care to in-person and an additional 15% said it was better than in-person care. This is a good argument for GP clinics to upskill existing GPs and expand their service offering with remote working GPs. 66.7% of respondents also stated that video telehealth makes healthcare more accessible, “We’ve got the bandwidth, the networks, the cameras that are now high enough quality, so we absolutely believe it is time for this to happen. It’s happening overseas, it’s got to happen here as well”, said Pfeiffer.

 

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Missed the Sunrise segment? Watch Coviu CEO, Dr Silvia Pfeiffer on Sunrise discussing the surging demand from Aussies for video telehealth.

 


* Through Pureprofile, Coviu conducted a research piece with 1,000 consumers across the Australian general public. To qualify, participants needed to have accessed a GP in the past 12 months.

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