As telehealth continues to reshape the healthcare landscape, this episode of Talking HealthTech, hosted by Peter Birch alongside Lyndon Goddard and Dr Matthew Vickers, dives into the ongoing developments within the Australian telehealth sector.
The episode sheds light on the regulatory challenges, the evolution of healthcare delivery models, and the pressing need for standards to ensure quality across telehealth services.
The Transformative Year in Australian Telehealth
Over the past 12 months, Australian telehealth has seen remarkable shifts. Matt mentions how transitioning from asynchronous to synchronous models positively impacted practitioners and patients. This transition included incorporating video calls and phone consultations, which led to higher patient satisfaction and practitioner engagement.
The rise of telehealth has also brought forward an explosion in the market, with new telehealth clinics offering services ranging from medical certificates to medical cannabis consultations.
The Influence of AI and Technological Integration
Telehealth's intersection with artificial intelligence (AI) is another noteworthy area. Integrating AI into telehealth platforms offers new possibilities for clinical decision support and automation within digital health flows. This integration signifies a promising era where technology supports and enhances medical practices, ensuring that remote consultations achieve quality on par with in-person visits.
Accreditation and Regulatory Gaps
A significant concern raised by both guests is the lack of comprehensive accreditation for telehealth services. Unlike physical clinics and hospitals in Australia, which undergo stringent accreditation to guarantee quality and safety, telehealth services do not have a similar obligatory standard. If you walk into any health service in Australia, you should be able to have a good understanding of the quality and safety of that health service. Yet, there's no mandatory or voluntary telehealth-specific set of standards.
This gap implies that patients might receive care without assurance that these services meet a baseline level of quality and safety. This suggests that the Australian healthcare system needs a uniform government-endorsed set of standards specifically for telehealth to safeguard patient care effectively.
Impact on Healthcare Delivery
The lack of stringent regulatory measures and accreditation frameworks influences patient care and the overall trust in the telehealth sector. The scenario envisioned by Matt, where junior doctors with minimal experience handle unsupervised telehealth consultations, highlights potential risks. Without established guidelines, there's a significant risk of compromised care quality and patient safety.
Patients often cannot discern the quality of a telehealth service based solely on its digital interface. A polished website or a convincing social media presence does not guarantee that the underlying medical practices are sound. Therefore, establishing clear and enforceable standards is imperative to maintain the integrity of telehealth services.
Examples from the UK: A Potential Blueprint
Looking at global examples, the UK's approach to telehealth regulation provides valuable insights. The UKs Care Quality Commission (CQC) independently audits health services, including telehealth, ensuring rigorous standards are maintained. These audits and their findings are publicly accessible, fostering transparency and trust. The fact that they have an independent body to verify compliance with standards and then publish those findings is a level of transparency we dont see in Australia.
Moreover, the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reviews and endorses high-quality digital health services, further integrating them into the public healthcare system. This endorsement enhances credibility and facilitates better patient access through NHS support. These models underline a proactive approach to regulation, contrasting sharply with Australias current retrospective regulatory environment.
The Urgency for Proactive Measures
The consensus in the episode is cleara proactive regulatory framework is essential. Waiting for patient harm to enforce regulations is neither ethical nor sustainable. A proactive and transparent accreditation system can prevent potential harm, ensuring that all telehealth services operate within a safe and effective framework. Such measures would protect patients and bolster the credibility and adoption of telehealth services, ensuring they are part of a robust and reliable healthcare system.
Eucalyptus Vision and Efforts for Industry Standards
Eucalyptus is leading by example. The organisation has achieved accreditation to the EQuIP6 standards and is advocating for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to expedite the creation of virtual care standards. They are also poised to publish their own document on what they believe should be the minimum standards for telehealth services in Australia.
This initiative is a call to action for other telehealth providers to adopt best practices and seek voluntary accreditation until mandatory standards are established. Lyndon explains that having a document sitting out there doesnt mean much unless other platforms comply with it.
A Call for Regulatory Commitment
The discussion also highlights the essential role of government and regulatory bodies in driving this change. Incentives such as Medicare rebates for accredited telehealth services could motivate compliance and raise the bar for quality. The urgency to act now is palpable, ensuring standards are in place before widespread adoption exacerbates gaps and potential harms.
Shaping the Future of Telehealth
As telehealth grows, learning from global counterparts, integrating AI advancements, and establishing robust regulatory frameworks is essential. By embracing proactive measures, the healthcare sector can harness the full potential of telehealth, ensuring that it remains a trustworthy and efficient mode of delivering care. The episode serves as a vital reminder of our responsibilities in navigating this evolving landscape, aiming for a future where digital health services are safe, effective, and universally reliable.