A leading telehealth provider says more people using over-the-phone consults to renew scripts and for referrals could take pressure off regional GPs.
GPs across the country were under strain before the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, which compounded a lack of staff and resources and has only become worse in the two-and-a-half years since.
Shepparton is feeling the pinch, with many senior doctors retiring or on the verge of retiring, and a shortage across the board of doctors willing to stay in the region compounding issues.
Telehealth service InstantScripts’ medical director Andrew Thompson said patients having sessions over the phone for things like renewing scripts could save time for regional doctors, while working hand-in-hand with in-clinic GPs.
Dr Thompson is in charge of 50 doctors who work remotely for metropolitan and regional patients as part of InstantScripts.
“We’ve had enormous growth through the pandemic, which of course prompted patients to not go in in-person,” he said.
“I think telehealth is here to stay, the benefits to patients are really good and the access helps.”
He said there were limitations to telehealth, with people who were very sick or needing something checked out visually likely to be recommended to an in-person GP.
Dr Thompson said he would ideally see regional GPs working with online doctors to manage their workloads, and sharing patient records between both sets of doctors.
InstantScripts has 1348 patients based in Greater Shepparton, some of which have requested information regarding the services they’ve used be shared with their regular GP.
“For very straightforward consults, it’s the way the industry is moving. It makes so much sense,” Dr Thompson said.
“We’re moving towards shared care with open book transparency between online doctors and in-person practitioners.
“It’s extremely helpful for day-to-day medication prescriptions, or renewing scripts, things which can be a five to 10-minute consult and a quick turnaround which can take up so much of a GP’s day but can be done easily over the phone.”