The Future Is Looking Bright For Telehealth In 2021

As we step into 2021 and try to shake off 2020, the future of telehealth in Australia has never looked brighter.

2020 hasn’t been the easiest of years for a lot of Australians. We started the year with devastating bushfires and then spent the rest of it locked up in quarantine. However, Australia managed to fare better than a lot of other countries when it came to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A large reason for this was due to expanding telehealth services throughout the country, enabling every Australian to have a video consultation with a doctor from their homes instead of face to face in a crowded medical practice. As the country starts to paint the picture of what a post-pandemic Australia will look like, one thing is for certain; telehealth is here to stay.

Gaining a solid footing

Back in November last year, the Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt gave an announcement that the temporary telehealth policy changes to help combat the pandemic had been officially made permanent. It was these policy changes that eventually led to over 40 million telehealth consultations being conducted throughout the country.

America followed suit in December with the Trump administration finalising the permanent expansion of telehealth services and are also experiencing an explosion in telehealth innovation. Since March 2020, 283 Medicare Benefits Schedule telehealth items have been introduced by the Australian Government to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus.

No Australian left behind

Australians living in rural areas have also benefited a great deal. Since the telehealth policy changes were introduced, over 3.2 million people living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia have received telehealth services. Mark Coulton, the Federal Regional Health minister, commented that it was an important milestone which showed the Australians living in rural areas were receiving much-needed healthcare and advice via video and phone to help them stay out of hospital and on the road to recovery.

By embracing restrictions and telehealth services, remote and rural communities have kept on top of their low number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Telehealth has also been extended for specialist services considered essential until the 31st of March this year.

A bright future ahead

At the end of last year, Avant Mutual conducted the largest telehealth survey in Australia. They found that 87% of the Australians they surveyed said they would continue to use telehealth services if Medicare decides to continue funding it.

This feedback indicates that telehealth in Australia is not only here to stay, but its future has never looked so bright and optimistic. Health Minister Mark Coulton also commented that the Australian Government is working closely with the health sector to help further develop the Primary Care Plan. They are considering and planning the implementation of a wider and more permanent range of telehealth services.

As Australia works hard towards obtaining a new sense of normality in a post-pandemic world, telehealth services such as Prime Medic will be a crucial resource in the healthcare arsenal.

If you are feeling unwell or need to consult with an online GP, download the Prime Medic app and have a video consultation with a doctor from the privacy and comfort of your own home. For all the information you need regarding our range of telehealth services, explore our website today.

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