Telehealth could stay
There are renewed calls to make COVID-19 telehealth reforms a permanent feature of the state's health system.
However, the peak body representing medical practitioners says it will never fully replace face to face care.
About 10 million Medicare-funded telehealth services have been provided nationally since March, after a range of rebates were introduced to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
With existing arrangements due to expire in September, the Australian Medical Association says now is the time to fully integrate telehealth into general practice and other relevant medical specialities.
"Telehealth has been around since the telephone was invented. It's just that it's become more formalised during the COVID-19 pandemic, when certainly some patients were unable to attend practices for care," AMA Tasmania branch vice president John Davis said.
"That was the impetuous to get government to make it happen. Now it's about building on the foundation we have to make sure telehealth is retained, but the safe guards are put in place to ensure best patient care."
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has previously acknowledged the success of telehealth, with considerations around how it can be continued beyond existing arrangements. Bass Liberal MHR Bridget Archer said it had proven to be an effective tool for health practitioners over the past two months, adding she would support any plan to continue services long-term.
"I have had a number of discussions with GPs about this issue and understand that some aspects of the current telehealth program will be incredibly useful going forward while others may not be particularly needed post COVID-19," she said.
Dr Davis said Tasmania was ideally situated to further utilise telehealth, but there was still work to do.
"Tasmania has many patients who live remote from their usual doctor, whether that doctor is a GP or a specialist," he said. "What we need to do is build this system, so it is robust enough to allow those patients to get the timely care they need. Telehealth is not an instrument to split patient care between one provider and another."