healthdirect Video Call is a trusted, safe, secure and scalable video telehealth service that is simple and convenient for clinicians and patients to use. It connects people across Australia to healthcare services, while overcoming the barriers of distance, time and cost. The service is customisable to meet the unique needs of health organisations and professionals and has a wide range of applications and functionality to enhance virtual health consultations.

For primary health services, Video Call is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and is free for eligible health services and organisations. The current eligibility criteria is detailed below.

Registration and eligibility

How does a GP / general practice / allied health professional / eligible health specialist or ACHHO register to access Video Call?

If your health service is not yet set up with Video Call check the eligibility criteria below and, if eligible, use this registration link to request a virtual clinic. The healthdirect Video Call team will set up your clinic and an email will be sent to the designated clinic administrator, allowing them to create their account. The Video Call team will be in touch to onboard the clinic. If your health service already has a Video Call clinic set up, please contact your organisation’s telehealth team to request an account.

What is the current eligibility for Video Call?

The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing may review the eligibility from time to time. The eligibility criteria currently includes:

• General Practices
• ACCHOS
• Paediatrics and child health
• Palliative medicine
• Psychiatry
• Chiropractors
• Diabetes Educators
• Exercise Physiologists
• Mental Health Workers
• Midwives
• Nurses
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioners and Health Workers
• Nurse Practitioners
• Clinical Psychologists
• Psychologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Social Workers
• Speech Pathologists
• Physiotherapists

Clinical benefits

There are many clinical benefits of using Video Call, including:

• Efficiency: Video Call integrates into practice workflows, extending day-to-day clinical services online.
• Flexibility: health professionals can schedule work to suit their lifestyle, taking consultations from any location with a good internet connection (4G/5G/Satellite).
• Cost: save travel time and room hire expenses when working remotely.
• Coverage: offer services to a wider network of patients.
   

Patient benefits

Patients can benefit from using Video Call in the following ways:

• Access: access quality healthcare without having to travel. This is helpful for people living in rural and remote communities and for vulnerable patients who may have underlying health conditions or experience greater risks from travelling or attending in-person consultations.
• Continuity of care: outpatient follow-up appointments are easy with simple patient to clinician access.
• Holistic health: members of a patient's multi-disciplinary team can join a video call consultation, which can support more holistic management of care.
• Confidence: secure, easy-to-use and reliable system, built for primary and tertiary health consultations.
   

For more information

If you are interested in more information regarding the healthdirect Video Call service, please contact our team at videocallsupport@healthdirect.org.au or call 1800 580 771.