DISCONTINUING federal funding for critical telehealth services will inflate the burden on hospitals and undermine patient access to doctors, according to Member for Mallee Anne Webster.
Dr Webster said telehealth had provided a lifeline for patients in regional communities when it became permanent for Australians during the pandemic under the former Coalition Government.
She said the new Labor Minister for Health and Aged Care has decided to discontinue funding to telehealth features such as phone consultations more than 20 minutes, initial specialist consultations and some disability and mental health services.
Dr Webster, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Development, said she agreed with the Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, who had urged the Labor Government to reinstate funding to the services, arguing that it will inflate the burden on the hospital system and undermine patient access to doctors.
“The removal of these telehealth services would exacerbate the strain on under-resourced services and decrease the accessibility of health care for rural, regional and remote Australians, including those who live with a disability and the elderly,” Dr Webster said.
“When telehealth was first introduced, it targeted the health inequity experienced in regional, rural and remote locations.
“When access to the service was expanded under the Coalition Government the benefits were acutely felt in the regions.
“In every town in Mallee, finding a doctor is an ongoing frustration – I have long advocated for multi-faceted solutions that help alleviate the disadvantage and inequity experienced everyday by people in regional communities.
“Telehealth has unquestionably provided one of these solutions.”
Dr Webster said the most vulnerable had required timely access to healthcare and medical advice throughout the pandemic.
“Access to time-critical anti-viral medication will potentially be impeded by the removal of telehealth (telephone) long consultation Medicare item numbers,” she said.
“Anti-virals must be carefully managed in the context of existing medications with potential dangerous interactions needing appropriate expert consideration.
“In addition, many elderly patients have difficulty accessing or using video technology, and poor connectivity can result in landline consultations being the only option for remote patients.”
“While the previous government forecast changes to telehealth post-COVID, the ongoing presence of COVID and other winter viruses, should make the Albanese Government reconsider what has been a successful strategy and approach for many regional communities who will now be disproportionately and detrimentally impacted.”
