Delivering timely care to babies around Australia.

We spoke with Coviu customer, Telebaby founder and Paediatrician, Dr Samuel Heitner to hear how Coviu is helping him to deliver timely paediatric care to babies across Australia.

To learn more about Telebaby, visit their website: Telebaby.com.au 

Tell us about Telebaby.

Telebaby provides direct access to a paediatrician, by offering online consultations. It's not just about convenience; it's about providing timely, expert care to your little ones when they need it most.

Through Telebaby, I offer Telehealth video consultations for newborns up to the age of 12 months, along with an Acute Telehealth service for children of all ages who are currently unwell. The service is available Australia-wide, 7 days a week.

As a paediatrician and a father of three, I strongly believe that every parent should have access to a paediatrician as soon as possible, rather than relying on Google, social media, or advice from friends while waiting weeks to see their paediatrician.

What are the biggest advantages of virtual care?

Traditional methods of seeking treatment often involve seeing a GP first and then waiting a long time for a paediatrician appointment. Telehealth can save time and reduce delays in correct diagnosis, especially for young babies or families that live in remote areas.

There are of course many other advantages including efficiency and flexibility, providing more personalised care as well as the benefit of flexibility around when and where I work.

Why do you use Coviu?

Coviu integrates seamlessly with Halaxy software, automating my booking system. This integration generates a video link that is automatically sent to my patients after they make a booking.

Coviu has excellent audio and video quality and is easy to use. It complies with data security and privacy standards, including HIPAA. Coviu also provides me with the features that I need to deliver comprehensive and effective care to my patients.

How do you deliver comprehensive and effective care on Coviu?

Patient history is incredibly important in coming to a medical diagnosis, so I ensure that I take a thorough history during each consultation.

Using Coviu, I am able to see the child in front of me and assess factors such as their breathing, respiratory rate, colour, interactions, rashes, and general appearance. Additionally, with a little guidance, I can instruct parents to perform various examinations, providing me with even more detailed information.

These practices allow me to deliver high-quality, effective care remotely, ensuring that I can make accurate diagnoses and provide appropriate treatment plans for my little patients. Coviu's tools help me to deliver great care. For example:

Screen Sharing: I use this feature to review and explain medical information, test results, and care plans, ensuring that parents fully understand their child's health status and treatment options.

Whiteboard: This tool helps me illustrate concepts, explain diagnoses, and outline treatment plans in a visual manner, making complex information easier to grasp.

Sharing Photos and Documents: Parents can upload photos of symptoms, such as rashes or dirty nappies, and share relevant documents.

Can you share how access to telehealth has helped your patients?

I have many stories of babies who had no access to a paediatrician but were able to see me very quickly using telehealth.

Perhaps one of the most significant cases was diagnosing a child with leukaemia. After a video consultation raised concerns, I sent the patient for blood tests and a skin biopsy, leading to an early and accurate diagnosis. This timely intervention was crucial in beginning the appropriate treatment.

Where do you see the future of your practice going with virtual care?

I believe the future will increasingly rely on telehealth. Telebaby is already 100% telehealth, and I envision integrating various technologies already available to enhance our virtual consultations. Imagine tools that can assess children's vital signs, heart sounds, lung sounds, and perform ears and throat examinations remotely. These advancements would overcome the absence of physical examination during telehealth consultations, ensuring comprehensive and accurate care for my patients.