Telehealth helping Allied Health Businesses

With a number of challenges and roadblocks appearing as restrictions tighten during the COVID-19 outbreak, local physiotherapists have certainly taken a hit, but have come up with solutions to re-route and continue to support their clients, online.

Physiotherapists are using telehealth to meet with their clients, able to discuss symptoms, provide comprehensive advice and education, teach self-mobilization soft tissue techniques, and prescribe appropriate exercises.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise Health General Manager, Jaden Frame, said telehealth consultations not only provide business support now, but can continue to have a positive impact, after COVID-19 settles.

“It is great to see private health insurers and Government fund telehealth consultations occurring.”

“Whilst this allows Allied Health businesses to generate some immediate, much needed revenue throughout the COVID-19 period, it also brings future business opportunities to grow their services across the region.”

“The exponential growth of telehealth consultations would be a positive impact of the COVID-19 epidemic and will provide business opportunities to the health care industry,” said Mr Frame.

Better Movement Clinic Director, John Dennehy, said the business has seen an increase of clients participating in telehealth appointments, with the current climate.

“Previously, we were conducting between one to three telehealth conferences weekly, now, with several new temporary telehealth bulk billing items created, we are hosting to 25 to 35 telehealth conferences per week.”

“Through this, we can reach clinical guidelines and can achieve the goals we have set with clients.”

“If we were unable to host telehealth calls now, a lot of our clients would be missing several vital benchmarks,” said Mr Dennehy.

Through telehealth conference, physiotherapists are able to reliably perform several of their routine assessment procedures or determine whether clients may need referral to another allied health providers or medical specialists for further investigations.

Vision Exercise Physiology Director, Michael Usher, said following recent Government announcements of Medicare rebates, the Department of Veteran Affairs followed suit, allowing the business to continue to support their veteran clients.

“With a significant veteran population in Toowoomba, this was a significant announcement.”

“We have been able to keep our at-risk clients exercising in a safe environment, so those who don’t feel safe coming into the clinic at this time have this option.”

“We are able to set them up on a communication platform and run them through the exercises to keep them moving and try and maintain some sense of normality with their routines,” said Mr Usher.

Peak Performance Director, David Veal, says telehealth has been fantastic for those unable to travel, but says the best results still come from one-on-one appointments, where possible.

“We do prefer patients to attend the clinics in person if they can.”

“Our business is safe, and we use prescribed and recognised hygiene practices.”

“These types of consultations through telehealth are for remote patients, those who are self-isolating and vulnerable and those who are quarantined and those who cannot get to the clinic for any reason.”

“We are able to send any equipment required for exercising so that we can continue to track progress of the exercise and self-treatment provided,” said Mr Veal.