The healthcare system was overrun by emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing nations around the world to explore new ways of delivering care.
Out of necessity, telehealth became a game-changer for millions of people, bringing high-quality medical advice, prescriptions and mental health support to their homes.
Telehealth platforms such as Updoc have become household names in Australia by providing accessible and affordable digital healthcare options.
The quality of their service is hammered home in this Updoc review, which highlights just how many healthcare elements telehealth services can support.
While some naysayers believe that telehealth could compromise the safety of patients or the quality of care, there are plenty of reasons why it has become a cornerstone of the healthcare sector.
There is enough evidence from Australia and elsewhere which proves that online medical services offer enormous benefits, especially when they operate under the watchful eye of the authorities.
Quality & Convenience in One Handy Package
One of the most common points levelled against telehealth is that it is more concerned about convenience rather than being thorough when assessing patients.
Professor Mark Morgan, chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ quality care committee, is one of the voices against telehealth.
He believes that online appointments may not always match the depth of in-person consultations.
In his opinion, a patient who is dealing with indigestion could mistake it for chest pain, potentially overlooking a more serious issue like heart disease.
Someone who also has a severe headache might be led to believe it is nothing other than stress, but there could be more to the issue than meets the eye.
While Morgan has called for caution, his observations do not invalidate the entire telehealth system, but highlights the need for clear boundaries between what it can and cannot do.
Telehealth was not created to replace physical care, and it has always been crystal clear that the system isn’t equipped to handle all health conditions.
However, virtual care has significantly reduced the burden on hospitals and clinics, and Dr Centaine Snoswell, a senior research fellow at the University of Queensland and a leading telehealth researcher, echoes that sentiment.
Snoswell argues that telehealth has paved the way for healthcare workers in physical establishments to focus on conditions that require hands-on treatment.
She explained that if patients can access medical certificates or sort out minor issues without being hauled into the hospital, it frees up space for people with more complicated issues to get help.
The Younger Generation & the Question of Bulk-Billing
Younger adults are behind the massive surge in demand for telehealth in Australia.
Patients have been frustrated by rising out-of-pocket costs, long wait times and a shortage of bulk-billing general practitioners (GPs), which has made it difficult for them to access timely care.
However, online services have stepped in to fill the void, offering affordable and immediate solutions.
Contrary to popular belief, telehealth does not fragment healthcare but expands it. It makes sure people who do not have the capacity to seek help can still engage with the medical system.
Telehealth has improved healthcare in other jurisdictions around the world, including the United States.
Studies have shown that younger patients in America turn to telehealth first whenever there is a problem. It also encourages patients to follow up regularly, whether online or in person.
Meanwhile, one of the biggest debates in Australia is about whether online services such as telehealth can bulk-bill under Medicare. Most GPs must have an existing relationship with a patient to claim bulk-billing for telehealth.
But that doesn’t apply to every company, which has raised questions within the federal health department. They are worried about providers taking advantage and prioritising revenue over patient care.
While it is a valid issue, it does not undermine the legitimacy of telehealth itself. Systems evolve, and regulations are designed to catch up with innovation.
Dr Susan O’Dwyer, Chair of the Medical Board of Australia, has acknowledged that healthcare is changing faster than rules can keep pace.
She has stressed the importance of balancing patient demand with quality expectations, and the US offers a blueprint that could help with such regulatory hurdles.
During the pandemic, Medicare in the US temporarily expanded telehealth coverage, and patients embraced it in record numbers.
They quickly took advantage of its success to make many of those changes permanent. Telehealth is now a standard reimbursable service under both public and private insurance.
That has helped to create a more flexible and accessible healthcare system. Policies take time to align, but Australia is certainly heading in the same direction.
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