Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard's plans for e-health mean that physicians will be able to diagnose patients using webcams over the internet under a hi-tech health policy. Ms Gillard launched her futuristic health plans in Brisbane yesterday. Under this $392 million health plan, families with home computers will be able to get access to an after hours online doctor using webcams and internet messaging services such as Skype from July 2012. Services would improve once the Government rolls out its high-speed national broadband network.
There will also be an expansion of the GP after-hours helpline to deliver the new online services that will be free to the patient. If necessary patients can log onto the government's after-hours doctor helpline and doctors will use video conferencing technology to examine the patient by sight to make a diagnosis on the spot or refer the patient on for a physical examination, with an after hours doctor, if needed. Health Minister Nicola Roxon pointed out that this would be of great help to paediatric patients as well.
For the first time the Government will also pay Medicare rebates to city doctors who use the internet to consult with patients in remote areas. These Medicare rebates will be available from July 2011 and will be a huge boon for rural patients who often have to travel thousands of kilometres to consult a medical specialist. Ms Gillard said, “It's offensive to me that rural patients are three times more likely to die four years earlier if you are diagnosed with cancer than other Australians.” For rural patients the Government is expected to pay both GPs and specialists up to three times the normal Medicare rebate. This way a GP could earn up to $100 for sitting with a patient during an electronic consultation, and a specialist up to $180. The Government will spend $35 million training and supervising health professionals who deliver online services.
Ms Roxon said doctors would be asked to develop strict protocols about what types of illnesses were able to be diagnosed using the new technology and which would require an actual physical examination.
On the flip side all those who want to use these facilities need to have a computer and a webcam. This means the services will not be available to some people, including many elderly patients who do not use or have access to a computer.
The announcements have been welcomed by doctors and industry, although they express caution until more details are revealed. Australian Medical Association president Andrew Pesce said the money would help doctors to better use technology to overcome distance. He said, “This is a recognition of the need to embrace technology to modernise our health system…Some patients will no longer have to travel long hours and incur significant costs to access medical care…Ongoing support for telemedicine through patient rebates and IT infrastructure will ensure local doctors can obtain specialist input, but the (levels of) investment must grow to ensure telemedicine networks stay modern.”
Australian Information Industry Association chief executive Ian Birks also said, “It's great to see the tie-up of health and the digital economy, and the use of broadband to deliver real benefits to the community…From an industry perspective, this will provide a platform for local software development -- and that's potentially a very strong outcome, such as new export opportunities.”
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Chris Mitchell feels, “It supports the work GPs do, and connects us with the extended primary-care team, public health, mental health and specialty services…Without greater use of e-health and better medical information management systems, we will continue to expose patients to unnecessary risks.”
General practice leader Dr Robert Walters and e-health advocate Dr Mukesh Haikerwal however felt that the Labor's plan was ambitious, given the technical and privacy snags that have impeded e-health.
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