The COVID-19 pandemic has actually pushed telehealth right into public awareness as health specialists attempt to browse traveling restrictions as well as lockdowns while keeping services. But telehealth has been around for time and also supplies many advantages beyond continuity of treatment in unclear times. In this month's blog we respond to all your telehealth questions to make sure that you can make educated decisions concerning your healthcare.


What is telehealth?
Telehealth is an approach of health care distribution that makes use of information and communication innovations (ICT) such as phones, computers, as well as tablets as an option to in person shipment. Your healthcare specialist can perform a visit through telephone call, or via video clip conferencing systems like Health Direct, Zoom or Skype. Telehealth additionally utilizes various other forms of electronic media like e-mail for sharing files and also pictures as well as YouTube for dispersing video content.

Can telehealth be utilized to deliver allied health services?
Yes. There are lots of allied health services that can be efficiently delivered by means of telehealth. This is analyzed on a case-by-case basis. There are conditions where telehealth might not be appropriate, for instance in the distribution of a physiotherapy treatment strategy where your physiotherapist requires to physically touch or adjust parts of your body as part of the treatment session. Sometimes a blended solution delivery model is more appropriate, which includes a combination of in-person as well as telehealth consultations.

Is a telehealth appointment comparable to in-person appointments?
There is an usual mistaken belief that telehealth consultations result in a reduced criterion of care. While not all medical care services are appropriate for telehealth, there are several circumstances where telehealth permits the secure and effective delivery of health care solutions to the same standard as in-person treatment.

When delivering services via telehealth your health and wellness practitioner is obliged to operate based on the exact same expert standards that apply when working in person. The Australian Health And Wellness Expert Regulation Company (AHPRA)-- the governing body for health and wellness experts-- states that all health and wellness specialists have to supply telehealth solutions in accordance with the appropriate regulatory criteria, codes of conduct, and expert standards. This consists of assumptions associating with:

Privacy and also privacy
Educated approval
Top quality of treatment
Interaction
Maintaining health documents
Culturally risk-free as well as sensitive method
Specialist boundaries
People with complicated needs
Multi-disciplinary care
Extent of method

What are the benefits of telehealth?
Benefit
Telehealth is a practical as well as affordable setting of providing health services in situations where in-person service distribution is tough. The simplicity of telehealth shipment implies there is greater versatility with appointment times, as the clinician does not need to consider travel.

Greater availability
Telehealth additionally assists in better access to important allied healthcare solutions for individuals living in farther parts of the country where there might be a scarcity of professionals. The high need for allied health and wellness practitioners Australia-wide has caused substantial delay times in local locations as local clinicians are unable to meet the need for solutions. Telehealth enables experts from even more booming areas to provide services to regional and also remote communities, assisting to minimize solution wait times.

Safety and security
Telehealth lowers the requirement for in person contact, which can enhance safety and security for clients with particular health problems such as those with jeopardized body immune systems. Some clients favor telehealth due to the fact that they really feel much less nervous involving with their clinician through ICT instead of personally. In these instances, telehealth gives a crucial choice, giving the customer higher option and also control over exactly how their services are delivered.

Continuity of care
As lockdowns and various other limitations on activity have become a common event throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth innovations enable continuity of care While allied health services are taken into consideration important, as well as are for that reason enabled to proceed throughout lockdowns, it is not unusual for clients to favor not to wage face-to-face consultations when there are energetic situations of COVID-19 in the community. In these situations (and when it is appropriate for the customer's specific professional needs), telehealth provides an alternative shipment mode that avoids the disturbance of services.

Scope of care.
Telehealth innovations help with joint consultations that enable numerous professionals to call in for one consultation. This allows for a holistic care model, as customers can engage with experts in a multi-disciplinary group to talk about a range of alternative professional demands.

Telehealth and also the NDIS
The National Disability Insurance System (NDIS) has provided much-needed funding for individuals coping with an impairment that permits them to access essential supports and also interventions. Telehealth has played an essential duty in making certain that NDIS participants can access health services. Firstly, by managing higher access to local and also backwoods where the demand for services exceeds the number of health and wellness experts readily available to supply services. Telehealth likewise provides participants enhanced option as well as control by allowing a private to accessibility solutions where feasible from the convenience of their house and also without the requirement for in-person contact when it is not appropriate for them.

Exactly how do I recognize if telehealth is right for me?
An allied health practitioner will collaborate with you to identify whether telehealth service distribution is scientifically suitable for your details scenarios. There are Telehealth for Allied Health as interventions which can safely and properly be provided through telehealth. If your solutions can be efficiently provided by means of telehealth, your medical professional will certainly describe the procedure as well as what resources you may need.

Are telehealth consultations secure, private, and confidential?
Allied heath experts are obliged to abide by the exact same privacy, discretion and also protection needs when providing solutions using telehealth as they do when performing in-person services. You should constantly validate which electronic system your health and wellness professional makes use of for their telehealth services to guarantee you are satisfied with the privacy policy. At Smart Solutions Rehab Group (SSRG) we utilize the healthdirect Video clip Call service, which complies with the relevant Australian Government Details Safety Guidebook for cyber safety guidelines and also privacy safeguards. The healthdirect Video clip Call service is established and also preserved in Australia and does not keep individual or meeting data.

Can a family member or carer participate in my telehealth appointment?
Just as with in-person visits you are welcome to consist of a relative or carer in a telehealth appointment. On occasion your clinician may ask for a carer, relative, or someone else you trust joins the appointment to help (as an example to determine something for your physical therapist during an evaluation).

Why does Smart Solutions Rehab Group use telehealth?
SSRG has created a thorough telehealth strategy that allows us to run under a mixed solution shipment version. SSRG makes use of telehealth where we see there is a benefit to the customer, and also when the client really feels comfy making use of telehealth. As an example, telehealth reduces the need for travel time, which can have set you back conserving advantages. Telehealth also allows our clinicians to supply important allied health services to a lot more country as well as regional parts of Queensland where it is challenging to perform regular in-person sees due to distance.

In conditions where it has actually been assessed that telehealth is appropriate, we can supplement in-person visits with telehealth assessments as required. This usually means some consultations will certainly happen personally (either in your home or in our facility), as well as various other consultations can be conducted via telehealth.

How can I access telehealth services?
To review your telehealth alternatives or to learn more you can consult with our solution sychronisation group. The practicality of telehealth services is analyzed on a case-by-case basis. As soon as we have actually received the pertinent info from you a team supervisor will certainly review your professional needs and also choose as to whether telehealth services are appropriate to achieve your objectives. If telehealth distribution appropriates your clinician will certainly call you to go over a mixed service delivery technique.

If you would love to understand more concerning telehealth solutions you can call us on 1300 729 190 or through our internet site. To schedule a telehealth solution, you can send a referral with our internet site, and choose the telehealth option.

Smart Solutions Rehab Group, Suite 26/27 Evans St, Maroochydore QLD 4558