As we cross into 2021, the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 still continues to cause havoc, fear and stress throughout the world. However, one service has become a shining light for many Australians - telemedicine services.
Whether it is getting a general check-up or a medical certificate online, these services have provided the ideal solution to the stressful situation of seeing a doctor face to face during the Coronavirus pandemic.
A face to face visit to a doctor involves spending time stuck in traffic travelling to the doctor’s clinic, getting tested for Coronavirus before you can enter the medical clinic and struggling to book an appointment at a time that is convenient for you. Instead of all this, a live doctor service allows you to speak with a doctor online.
A healthcare revolution
Known also as an
online doctor service or a telemedicine service, a telehealth service is an online platform that connects Australians to a wide network of professional, experienced and qualified doctors throughout the country. Each patient can simply book an appointment to have an audio or video consultation with a doctor from their own home.
Telehealth providers still provide the exact same level of professionalism, care and medical advice to their patients as if they were face to face with a doctor in a medical clinic. Australians are spared from the stressful, annoying and time-consuming process of having to travel to their local GP (General Practitioner).
By utilising the latest in digital communication and information technologies, telehealth services have quickly become the healthcare revolution that Australia has desperately needed.
Providing a full range of services
Online telehealth services offer a full range of services apart from general checkups such as:
â Refills and prescriptions
Taking time off from your work just to visit your local GP clinic to get a refill for your current prescription or a new prescription can be a real pain, especially when they don’t have an available appointment for when you need it.
By using a telehealth platform, you can instead have a brief audio or video consultation with a doctor from wherever you are located within Australia. You can obtain
online prescriptions for low-level drugs and medications such as antihypertensives, diabetic medication and contraceptives.
â Medical certificates
Getting sick is not a pleasant experience - nor is having to go into a medical clinic just to provide a medical certificate to your employer. With a telemedicine service, you can easily get your carer’s, sick leave or medical certificate online without stepping foot inside a medical clinic!
â Referrals
Getting a referral involves two trips; one to go to the medical clinic and one to then visit the specialist. So why not cut it down to just one trip by chatting to an online doctor instead? Telehealth services offer services such as referrals and specialist referrals. After your video consultation, your doctor will then send your referral to your email. It couldn’t be more simple!
Your information is secure and private
Telemedicine providers are completely confidential and securely store all your medical and personal information. Each consultation you have with an online doctor ensures that your conversation, information, data and medical history is kept private and secure.
This is because every telehealth service that operates within Australia is bound to strict regulations and Australian privacy legislation that require them to ensure all their patient’s information is securely protected at all times.
This is why many telehealth providers will use the latest software tools such as VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), cloud storage and next-generation firewalls to protect all confidential information from hackers and other types of digital threats.
How to get started?
Getting started could not be more simple. Firstly, you will need either a desktop PC, smartphone, laptop or a tablet device that has a strong and solid internet connection.
Then you will need to download an app and create an account to begin using a telehealth service. As with any account creation process, you will be required to provide your personal information as well as information regarding your previous medical history. This is to assist the doctors before your video consultation begins.
Once this step is complete, you are then ready to start searching for doctors and booking your first appointment. Simply select a day and time which best suits you and then answer a few basic questions regarding the reason for the appointment!
In summary
As you can see, telehealth services have played an incredibly important role during the devastating COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.
If you are tired with the time-consuming and stressful process of visiting a doctor face to face just to get a piece of paper, then search online and download a telemedicine app and get your
medical certificate online instead!