With the government fast-tracking the roll-out of telehealth services, doctors are assuring patients there is no additional chance of misdiagnoses.

Digital Health Agency spokesperson Dr Andrew Rochford tells Deborah Knight telehealth is as easy as getting on the phone or an online video conference with your GP for an initial consultation.

“Given the extreme circumstances we’re in, we need to start looking at ways of harnessing digital to protect ourselves and protect everyone else.

“Telehealth is a way of you not going out of the home and going to your doctor, unless you definitely need to be there.”

He says telehealth patients can give their GPs a clearer picture by measuring their own temperature, weight and even heart rate from the safety and comfort of their homes.

Digital ‘e-prescriptions’ are also expected to be made available towards the end of May.

“It will be as simple as your GP prescribing you the medication you need, [then] sending that digitally to you via SMS or an email or to your pharmacist.”

“Then in the case of your pharmacy doing deliveries, you might not ever even need to leave your home.”

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