Analysis of 111 calls suggests most responses to calls from people in mental health distress could be led by social service providers without the need for police.
A virtual ED is typically staffed by emergency doctors, nurses and support staff who can assess patients’ symptoms, provide medical advice, and direct care to the right place.
Here’s where we could lift our game to ensure reliable, equitable and culturally safe telehealth for First Nations people in Australia, whether living remotely or in our cities.
Jon Wardle, Southern Cross University dan Amie Steel, University of Technology Sydney
‘One-stop-shops’ that offer health services, advice and information can be great for self-care. But what about when big corporate players enter the game?
Online and phone consultations might ease pressure on local clinics and mean you can access paperwork when visiting a GP isn’t possible. But there are downsides to be aware of too.
As diabetes progresses, insulin injections become the only treatment option. But the transition from oral medication to injectable insulin is often a bumpy one.
The Albanese government will reinstate the pandemic leave payment for workers who have to isolate but do not have sick leave, after earlier vigorously defending its ending on budgetary grounds.
Frailty — the physical limitations of seniors living in the community — needs to be assessed before it can be addressed with social and health support. Virtual assessments can speed up this process.
During the pandemic, health care providers began prescribing abortion pills without requiring in-person exams. This practice could help people access the care they need when abortion rights are in limbo.
Given the success of telehealth and virtual care during the pandemic, it would be a mistake to automatically return to pre-pandemic norms of health care.
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne