Woolworths and telehealth
A patient’s GP should be their first point of contact when unwell.
In response to media queries about the announcement from Woolworths that it intends to provide access to a GP telehealth service, AMA President Professor Steve Robson has emphasised that when a patient is unwell their first point of contact should be their usual GP.
As a result of AMA advocacy, current MBS funded telehealth arrangements generally require an established relationship with a GP. Services provided by the third-party provider that Woolworths is working with will be ineligible for Medicare funding.
The Medical Board of Australia is also working on new telehealth guidelines. In making these guidelines, the MBA has made it clear that telehealth is generally most appropriate in the context of a continuing clinical relationship with a patient which also involves face-to-face consultations.
The AMA has made a number of submissions to the MBA about these guidelines, strongly backing this philosophy.
