There is officially a new way to have a consultation with a GP.
Gone are the days of calling to book an appointment which may not be for several days to weeks, taking time off work, sitting in the waiting room packed with other sick people, having to wait around past your booked time to finally be able to speak with your doctor, only for them to get you in and out within about 5 minutes. Not to mention if you forget one of the main questions that you wanted to ask them, and now you have to start the process all over again to book a review appointment.
You now have the option to speak with a doctor online, cutting out the parts that no one enjoys about ‘going to the doctor’. More than ever, people are spoilt for choice of Telehealth service providers in Australia, with one to suit each person and their individual needs and circumstances.
If you do some research, you will find that there are many providers online, and if it is speaking to a GP that you are after, the process is generally the same, and very straightforward.
When you go to a Telehealth provider’s website, www.privatemedical.net, for example, you will be able to get an idea firstly of what services are being offered, and which one will best suit you.
In Private Medical’s case, we offer a standard 15-minute consultations with Australian registered GPs, with the option of a longer consult of 30 minutes, for complex issues and mental health. You have the option to book the appointment for yourself, or for a family member.
Once you know what appointment type you would like to book, and have selected your option, you will then be given next available appointment times and days to choose from.
Once you have selected a time and day that works around your schedule, you will be asked to register the patient details andpay for your consultation. You will then receive both an email and SMS, confirming your appointment details.
Your confirmation will include a link, and this is what will be used to connect with and join your video Telehealth consultation with your online doctor.
All you have to do is simply click on the link provided to you at the scheduled time of your consultation, and this will enter you into the virtual ‘waiting room’, where your online doctor will join and conduct your consultation.
All you need to have a Telehealth appointment with Private Medical is a working camera, microphone, and internet connection, and you will be able speak with your online doctor on your phone, iPad, laptop or desktop. No need to download any complicated software. Private Medical have done the hard work for you, so once you click on your link and your online doctor joins the consultation, they will be able to visually assess you and offer their advice, assessment, and management plan, just as with a traditional GP consultation.
If your doctor determines that you require medication, that step is simple too! If you provided your Medicare number upon registration of your details, your online doctor can SMS or email your prescription code directly to your smart phone, which you can take into any pharmacy that is most convenient for you., The pharmacy assistant will scan the code sent to you, and you will be able to receive your medications.
Similarly, if the online doctor suggests a referral be sent to another clinic, that will be emailed immediately to foryou. And if you need a certificate, that can be emailed directly to you.
No more messing around with mountains of paperwork, getting things lost and mixed up. By speaking with an online doctor at Private Medical, everything is kept private, personal and professional.
If you would like to learn more about Private Medical, or make a Telehealth booking with one of our online doctors, head to our website at www.privatemedical.net, or phone our friendly team on our national phone line between 8am – 8pm AEST, 7 days per week, on 135 001.
