Everything you need to know about Telehealth in MedicalDirector
Virtual care has become an integral part of Australia’s health ecosystem, and a critical enabler for supporting personalised, patient-centric care in pandemic times. In this article, we answer some of the frequently asked questions about Telehealth, what this functionality means for your practice, and how MedicalDirector is supporting you, every step of the way.
What is Telehealth?
Generally speaking, virtual care, otherwise known as Telehealth, is the delivery of health-related services and information via technology outside the physical ‘walls of the consulting room.’
The Australian Department of Human Services (DOH) defines Telehealth as ‘when eligible patients access specialist, consultant physician or consultant psychiatrist services via videoconferencing’. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the term Telehealth has been used by many in the industry more broadly, reflecting all medical consultations performed remotely.
Is Telehealth secure?
Telehealth is integrated in our clinical and practice management cloud software, and is backed by the same billion-dollar infrastructure and security protocols that support MedicalDirector software. It is completely secure for both doctor and patient.
Can I access Telehealth in my clinical workflow?
MedicalDirector provides fully integrated Telehealth capability into MedicalDirector Helix and Clinical. Telehealth consultations are seamlessly integrated into the clinical workflow. Patient history, notes, pathology and prescriptions sit alongside the Teleconsultation , so doctors have access to information when and where they need it, without needing to switch between different platforms.
What does it cost?
In an effort to support general practices during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Telehealth is provided to doctors for free until July 31, 2020. Fees will then be reviewed after this time. Charges may apply for Telehealth functionality at a later date, and MedicalDirector will notify customers of these charges in advance. Charges related to SMS reminders continue to apply where this feature is used in conjunction with Telehealth.
How do I use Telehealth in MedicalDirector?
MedicalDirector provides users with a secure video and voice platform for conducting Telehealth consults with patients. Practitioners can easily create consults and join video consultations with patients at any time. Read the user guides for Telehealth in MedicalDirector Helix and Telehealth in MedicalDirector Clinical to set this up for your practice.
How does a patient use MedicalDirector Telehealth?
The patient does not need to download anything. They will receive a unique link as part of the practice’s usual appointment confirmation process. They can use this to join the consult at the appointed time. Before the session commences, the patient can perform a test to ensure they can access the Teleconsult. Should it be required, the doctor or anyone else within the practice can generate a new link for a session within a few clicks. When the doctor joins the call, the session will be activated.
Can patients and practitioners use the Telehealth on desktop, iPad or smartphone?
MedicalDirector’s Telehealth system will work on all iPhones, android phones, and across different desktop operating systems. It works in iPhone, Android and different desktops with internet browsers Chrome, Edge, and Internet Explorer version 11+.
How do I alert my patient their appointment is Telehealth and not face-to-face?
As part of the appointment creation, the practice can indicate how the appointment will be conducted using Telehealth. Once this appointment type has been selected, a secure unique link is generated that the practice can send to the patient to use for the appointment as part of their normal SMS/email confirmation process.
What if the patient has low bandwidth on their internet connection?
Practitioners can turn off the video if the bandwidth is poor, and can use audio only.
Do I have to open a port in my firewall to enable Telehealth?
There is no requirement to open a port. However, the following URLs need to be whitelisted if it is blocked by the practice antivirus or firewall: https://telehealth-clinical.medicaldirector.com/ and https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com
Is there an online demo?
MedicalDirector has Live and on-demand webinars to help practitioners get familiar with Telehealth in MedicalDirector Helix and Clinical.
