Dr Andrew Baird speaks on GP Video Telehealth Adoption

We sat down with Dr Andrew Baird, GP and telehealth advocate, to discuss the role of video telehealth in general practice, and the barriers to adoption.
We sat down with Dr Andrew Baird, GP and telehealth advocate, to discuss the role of video telehealth in general practice, and the barriers to adoption.
We are excited to announce that the Australian Government has officially confirmed the extension of the MBS Telehealth reimbursements, until June 30th 2021.
One of the greatest technologies kick-started by the pandemic has been digital scripts. Prior to COVID-19, paper-based scripts made prescribing and fulfilling medications notoriously inefficient, whilst digital scripts promised a future where patients could receive medications within a few hours of seeing their GP.
Coviu is proud to announce the integration with Rosemary Health is now live and available for use on the platform.
The Australian Government has recently activated its Coronavirus emergency plan, treating the virus as a pandemic. Currently, there are an estimated 95 000 cases of the virus globally, spreading across 84 countries. As of 5th March, there have been 52 cases and one death confirmed in Australia alone.
The 2019-20 Australian bushfires have been devastating, with at least 33 recorded deaths nationally. Hundreds of structures have been destroyed and millions of animals and livestock have perished. Unfortunately, there is no end in sight, with experts warning the fires could continue for months.
You stare at your watch as the precious minutes tick by, looking away only briefly to check that your children haven’t touched the communal magazines. Everyone around you is coughing and sputtering. You reach into your bag to grab the hand sanitizer, which you quickly distribute to your boys. ‘Don’t touch anything! I don’t want you both getting sick!’ you instruct.
Mental health is one of Australia's most significant health issues, with almost half of the population experiencing mental illness at some point in their lives. Furthermore, 54% of those experiencing poor mental health will not access any treatment. These figures are alarming in their own right, often materialising into high suicide rates. As a society, we are facing an uphill battle when it comes to reducing the prevalence of such health conditions.
We often tell you about the amazing benefits telehealth offers you and your patients. However, we’ve not yet delved into an important aspect of telehealth – clinical appropriateness.
The following conferences may be interesting for GPs who are currently using telehealth or are curious about implementing telehealth into their practice.