Healthcare you can use

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a seismic shift in Australian healthcare delivery. Services that had evolved little compared to the likes of banking or food delivery underwent '10 years of reform in only 10 days'¹.  

Thanks to the widespread rollout of user-friendly options like telehealth, the general population now enjoys greater choice and convenience. Another plus is that remote healthcare can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases.   

But for those who’d always found it difficult to make face-to-face appointments – due to mobility issues, living in rural or remote areas, or simply limited flexibility – this new accessibility may have been a complete game-changer.  

With that clear proviso, here’s a roundup of services that could make taking care of yourself that little bit easier. We’ve also highlighted where your health cover could help with the cost!

GP appointments

Many GPs offer phone or video consultations, which can be very handy if you don’t have to be there in person (e.g. for a physical examination).  

Medicare now subsidises telehealth appointments, provided you have an ‘existing relationship’ with your doctor and have visited the practice for a face-to-face service in the last 12 months. There are various exemptions though; for details visit Services Australia.  

If you can’t see your regular GP at short notice, My Telehealth Clinic could save the day! It provides bulk-billed^{^} 10-minute consults for prescriptions and referrals and issues medical certificates from (a competitively-priced) $19.95. The service operates 7am - 9pm, 7 days a week*. 

See our guide to making the most of telehealth consultations 

Prescriptions

Electronic prescriptions (eScripts) are another potential timesaver. Delivered via SMS or email, eScripts include a link to a digital token which pharmacists use to dispense your medicine.  

If your pharmacy has a mobile app, you may be able to submit tokens in advance and collect your meds when it suits you. You can also forward tokens to a trusted person so they can pick them up for you². 

If you regularly take more than two medications, you may want to get an Active Script List (ASL), a digital list of eScripts that keeps your tokens in one place. If that could work for you, ask your pharmacist to help you register for an ASL.  

See more on eScripts and Active Script Lists

Pharmacy

Many of the larger pharmacy chains offer home delivery for prescription and over-the-counter meds. In metro areas this may include same-day or even two-hour services.  

Specialist doctors

As with GPs, many specialists offer telehealth appointments. If you're in a rural or remote area, this may be a key consideration. Even if they're close by, it could help you save money on transport or eye-watering hospital parking fees! 

If you’re researching specialists online, you could check their website (if they have one). Or you can use Healthdirect’s Service Finder tool and filter by ‘appointment type’. Select ‘phone or online service’ to see which doctors list telehealth on their profile.  

Otherwise, you could ask your GP or call the specialist’s office yourself. 

Mental health

If you’re referred to a mental health professional, you’ll find many offer telehealth services. This can be a godsend for anyone struggling to make it through the day, let alone the logistics of getting to an in-person session.    

As with doctors (above) you could check this online, ask your referring GP or ask the practice directly.  

Your health cover

You may be able to claim towards the cost of psychology and/or counselling via Extras cover. See current benefits and annual limits.   

Mental health coaching and home-based alcohol detox support are two of the programs which may be accessible to eligible^# Nurses & Midwives Health members (via Healthcare Services).  

See more on Healthcare Services’ mental health support programs 

Hospital care (at home)

If you’re planning hospital treatment, you may want to check out two of Healthcare Services’ other support programs. Both are designed to help you get home sooner after a hospital stay; by providing care you’d otherwise have to remain in hospital for.   

• Hospital at home – examples include certain types of wound care or IV infusions 

• Rehab at home – such as rehabilitation after a hip or knee replacement.  

Access to these programs depends on several things, including the approval of your doctor (who must submit a referral), eligibility via Hospital cover and availability of the services in your area.  

It’s also important to know that the program has to be organised before you’re discharged from hospital.  

See more on the Hospital and Rehab at home programs 

Chronic conditions

If you have one or more chronic conditions, a dedicated program may be more useful than a single service (like those listed above). Along with mental health support, the Healthcare Services team helps eligible^# Nurses & Midwives Health members access phone or video-based programs to help manage conditions including:  

• Osteoarthritis 

• Obesity 

• Cancer 

• Diabetes 

• Heart disease 

See more on programs for managing health conditions 

Allied health

Here are some of the services that may be available in telehealth form (if appropriate for you): 

• Audiology 

• Chiropractics 

• Dietetics 

• Exercise physiology  

• Occupational therapy 

• Osteopathy 

• Physiotherapy 

• Podiatry 

• Speech pathology.  

Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to claim Medicare rebates or Extras benefits to help with the cost.   

See how to check your Extras cover and remaining limits 

Bowel cancer screenings

If you’re aged 45-74, you’re eligible for the government’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. In what may come as a relief, you can collect your samples in the privacy of your own home, then submit them for testing! 

People aged 50+ automatically receive test kits in the mail every two years. If you’re aged 45-49 you can request one via an online form or by calling 1800 627 701.  

You can update your contact details anytime via the National Cancer Screening Register Participant Portal. This helps the government send timely reminders for bowel and cervical cancer screenings.  

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^Some services cannot be bulk-billed and may require a small out of pocket fee. Always check ask about any additional costs. 

*Subject to availability. 

#To be eligible for a program you must be a member of Nurses & Midwives Health and have Hospital cover with all relevant waiting periods served. Hospital cover requirements and waiting periods vary for different programs. Additional eligibility criteria may apply.  

These programs are brought to members through Healthcare Services ('Healthcare Services'), an initiative of Nurses & Midwives Health, to support members' health and wellbeing through quality, evidence-based health management. Eligible members are connected with a dedicated Healthcare Services care coordinator who supports them along the way.

References:

1 Expansion of telehealth services | Australian National Audit Office

2 eScript (electronic-prescription) | Healthdirect

Sources:

• Who can claim telehealth services | Services Australia

• eScripts and Active Script Lists | Healthdirect