‘In home’ GP visits at the press of a button

Jul 17 2009

Tunstall Healthcare and Family Care Medical Service are working together to provide bulk billed, after hours GP visits for Tunstall Response clients.

In an exclusive first, Tunstall clients in selected metropolitan areas using Tunstall personal alarms will be able to activate their alarm after hours and request the response operator organise for a doctor to visit them at home.

Ideal for people who become ill after hours and can't get to an after hours surgery but don't need an ambulance, Tunstall can take the stress and worry out of organising medical assistance.

Tunstall's personal alarm is installed in the home and allows the client to make quick and easy contact with the 24 hour response centre where an operator will organise the assistance they require.

This could be for a friend or family member to assist, ambulance to be called and now the option of an after hours doctor to attend.

This new service, exclusive to Tunstall Healthcare provides family and friends of older people and people with special needs, the peace of mind that their loved one will be able to get after hours medical assistance if and when they need it, even if it isn't an emergency.

According to Tunstall's response centre manager, Flora Rohde, many of the clients that use their personal alarm at night aren't very well but don't want their family or friends to be bothered in the middle of the night.

"We often get alarm calls where the client doesn't feel well, but don't need an ambulance. During the day we can contact their regular doctor, but after hours or on weekends there hasn't always been another option available", Mrs Rohde said.

"The Family Care service now allows us to offer an after hours GP visit to help our clients get well sooner".

Family Care Medical Services CEO Stuart Tait is delighted to be partnering with Tunstall Healthcare in an effort to improve accessibility to primary health care systems for older and house bound people.

"The development of a high quality monitoring service with an after hours medical service is a progression that will revolutionise the provision of healthcare services in Australia over the coming decade", Mr Tait said.

In an industry first, Tunstall can access the Family Care service on the client's behalf to provide after hours, in home GP visits for clients living in South East Queensland and west and north Sydney metropolitan areas.

The bulk billed service is available for free to pensioners, healthcare card holders, veterans' affairs and children under 16 years of age whose doctors already subscribe to the service.

To find out more about Tunstall's personal alarms and using the Family Care Friendly Society's service with Tunstall's personal alarms call 1300 760 333.

http://www.tunstallhealthcare.com.au