GPs need more support to provide virtual care

eHealthNews.nz: Digital Patient

Monday, 15 February 2021

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NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

The latest Covid-19 alert level change highlights the need for the government to stay focused on building capacity within general practice to provide virtual care, a GP leader says.

The announcement on Sunday night that Auckland would be moving to Alert Level 3 means all GP appointments should be done without meeting face-to-face where possible.

Medical director of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners Bryan Betty says sudden alert level changes are stressful for practices.

“It obviously requires a very rapid response, however there’s a lot of experience from last year so GPs are better prepared to flip into this mode of virtual consultation,” he tells eHealthNews.nz.

The majority of virtual consultations are still being done by phone, but there is a slow gradual uptake of video consulting.

“The government and Ministry (of Health) need to continually provide support and resourcing to encourage the system to move down this track, so we have flexibility if we have another event like this,” says Betty.

The MoH announced in March last year that it was pumping $20 million into increasing telehealth capacity for general practice and community providers as part of its Covid-19 response.

Betty says some of that money has filtered through, “but there’s a need for ongoing support of general practice in this space”.

This includes funding for video conferencing technology and training and communication with patients.

He says it takes time and resource to work out the best mode of treatment for patients as it depends on the nature of the problem.

The key message is that practices are still providing services, it is just the way it is provided that may change during higher alert levels.

The Ministry is running a digital enablement programme to fund telehealth and digitally enabled health services for primary and community care. A Registration of Interest was released in December for proof of concepts to be funded at up to $150,000 each.