It has been reported that people with chronic health conditions are 3.1% more likely to delay or not use GPs when needed, primarily due to the costs associated with long-term treatment as well as the inconvenience. It was also found that the pandemic resulted in almost 100,000 fewer GP visits, which meant that people have been missing out on potentially life-saving checkups, tests and monitoring due to fears of contracting coronavirus and overburdening an already struggling healthcare system.
More studies conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that over a quarter (28.8%) of people chose an online medical consultation, with 23.6% of those being with a GP and 7.5% with a medical specialist in the year of 2020-21. Those with a long-term health condition were 40.1% more likely to choose telehealth consultations owing to the convenience and more than 80% reported positive outcomes. If you’re wondering why 83.4% of the respondents reported that they would choose telehealth for a consultation again if offered, here are some of the top advantages of an online medical consultation.
Convenience
One of the top reasons behind choosing online medical consultations is the unmatched convenience they offer. For people with long term health conditions or mobility issues who may need to see a doctor weekly, monthly or every other month, it can be a hassle making the necessary arrangements to ensure they are able to make their appointments. From organizing pickup and drop off (if the patient doesn’t or isn’t able to drive), taking time off work, making babysitting arrangements as well as the money spent on it all, it can be enough to make people skip appointments.
Online medical consultations allow such patients to stay on top of their health by making it easier for them to see a doctor without having to go out of their way to do so. Simply log in to the app or service, select the time and day you want your consultation to be as well as your preferred mode of consultation and pay a small fee. All that’s left to do now is wait for the time to roll around and your designated doctor will be in touch with you.
Cost-effectiveness
For many patients, the costs associated with frequent doctor visits are another reason to skip out on appointments. Often, it’s more than just the doctor’s fee that is the cause of the problem; it is all the other costs associated with the appointment. As mentioned above, you may need to take time off work, which for many casual workers can mean a pay cut. Then, you’d either have to drive yourself to the clinic or take public transport, both of which will incur additional costs. For stay-at-home or single parents, they will also have to make arrangements for someone to look after the kids while they go to their appointments, which may or may not require more money. All of these costs can quickly add up, causing people to reconsider booking much-needed health checkups.
Time saving
Doctor’s waiting rooms have become notorious for how much time you’re expected to spend waiting for the doctor to see you, even if you have an appointment. Doctors cannot control how much time a patient might require, and so some consultations may go on for a while, pushing all other appointments back. Online consultations take the wait out of the doctor visits, which means you’re free to go about your day while you wait for your appointment time to roll around. Many people have been known to take their appointments from their car parked in the parking lot of their workplace, or from a quiet room in their workplace during their lunch break. All you need are 10-15 minutes for your consultation to take place, something even the busiest of individuals can spare for their health.
Location
Online medical consultations are especially helpful for those in remote or rural locations without easy access to a doctor. With online healthcare, patients are no longer limited by their location to the quality of care they get. As long as they are based in Australia and within Australian borders at the time of consultation, they can speak to a doctor in Australia at any time and place they want. You may be living in rural Victoria and consulting with a doctor in Melbourne, or even in Sydney or Brisbane. Moreover, online consultations make it easy for full-time employees to get after-hours appointments at any time of the day so they no longer have to miss work to make it to an appointment.
As you can see, online GP consultations have many advantages and are the way of the future. Almost all patients who have chosen telehealth have been satisfied with the care they have received and have reported that they’d choose the service again if given the chance.