Online Telehealth Physio Consultation
FAQ’S
How do I book an appointment?
First, you’ll need to book a time for your appointment. You can do this by calling us on 9368 1824 or by booking online here. If this is the first time you’ve had an appointment at Potts Point Physio, if you’ve attended before but are wanting a consultation for a new issue OR you haven’t been to the clinic in over 6 months, then please select the “Online Telehealth Consultation – Initial” option. If you have had an appointment with us before (either online or in person) and are wanting a follow up for the same issue, then please select the “Online Telehealth Consultation – Standard” option.
Once your appointment has been made make sure you have your computer, laptop, tablet or phone at the ready when it comes to the time of your appointment. At the time that your appointment is scheduled to start we will send you an e-mail with a link for you to join the consolation. Follow the instructions from the e-mail for your consultation to begin.
Do I need any specific software or equipment for the consultation?
As long as your device has access to a microphone and camera, that’s all you need! You will receive an email confirmation at the time of booking your appointment. This email will have a link to access your appointment at the time of consult. Simply click the link when the time comes and follow the prompts - simple. This link will also be accessible in a reminder email you should receive 2 days before your scheduled appointment!
If you have issues with receiving/accessing this link, give us a call and we can manually send the link to you via email.
For the consultation itself, make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothing and if you have any exercise equipment at home you might want to have that close by. Where possible try to set yourself up in a well-lit room without other noises for the best quality video and audio transmission. Please be ready and on standby 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time of your appointment to ensure things are running smoothly by the time your appointment is due to start.
If you are participating in any of our group classes, the platform we use for this is Zoom. You can download this at https://zoom.us/ just click the “sign up free” link, or you can download it from the app store if using a phone or tablet. If you haven’t downloaded the software at the time of your appointment then the e-mail we send you will have a link you can click to start the download.
What will an online telehealth consultation look like?
Initially we’ll start the consultation as we would any consultation. We’ll ask you some questions to help us get a thorough idea of what might be causing your problem. Diagnosis is the cornerstone of good management and this can be done with an in-depth subjective assessment. If the diagnosis isn’t correct then the treatment might not be targeting the primary cause/s. With this in mind, it’s great that with online telehealth consultations we’ll be able to perform a thorough diagnosis. The video link allows us to assess movements remotely to help establish what might be contributing to your symptoms.
After we’ve performed our assessment we’ll be able to discuss our findings with you and let you know what the most likely problem may be, from there we’ll be able to advise you what can be done to ease your symptoms
Can online physio really be effective? Don’t you need some sort of hands on therapy like massage?
The idea of an online physiotherapy consultation is not so common in metropolitan areas in Australia but is used extensively to reach people in remote and rural regions where they may have less access to quality healthcare. There is a large evidence-base and experience amongst healthcare professionals on how to conduct effective management and advice over an online consultation. This research also shows that online physiotherapy can produce comparable results to physiotherapy treatment received in the clinic 1,2.
There is a lot of we can do via telehealth. You can receive clinically effective treatment for many neuromusculoskeletal conditions without the need for manual therapy (e.g. hands on treatment like massage, joint mobilisation). We can guide you in performing some of these manual therapy techniques yourself through various exercises. Longer term change is made through rehabilitation programs, exercises and self-management strategies that encourage you to take an active role in your own rehabilitation. Such as following advice on what you can do when sitting at work or home to minimise your pain.
However, there are limits to what can be achieved in virtual consults, so if you are well and have been taking the appropriate measures to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, we do prefer that you come into the clinic for treatment. If you are unsure, this can be discussed during an initial online telehealth consultation.
Can you give me a clinical example of this?
Sure! Let’s take one very common clinical example – low back pain. The NICE guidelines (these are evidence-based guidelines developed in the UK) list some important things to do in the management of low back pain:
An assessment is required, most of this is done through asking specific questions and getting a thorough history to help understand what might be causing the issue and if referral to another service may be required.
Effective management would then involve education and self-management strategies (such as a specific exercise program). Manual therapy would be considered an adjunct that can help alleviate some acute pain, which we can guide you on how to do at home (but not essential for your overall recovery).
I’ve had appointments at the clinic before, am I able to have an online consultation?
Yes, we’ll be able to discuss how your condition has been progressing and upgrade or modify your rehab program based on this. Through the video link we’ll be able to observe how you’ve been performing your exercises and make any modifications, adjustments and progressions. Through an online telehealth consultation, we’ll have the ability to monitor symptoms and fine tune your rehab to keep your recovery optimal!
How much will an online telehealth consultation cost? What payment methods are available?
Initial online telehealth consults will cost $140. Standard or follow-ups will cost $100 for 45mins and $75 for 30mins.
There are two main payment methods that you can use:
Payment over the phone via credit/debit card at the time of consultation.
EFT Bank Transfer (in this case we require you email us the payment reference number and date/time of your payment).
Can I get a health insurance rebate for an online consultation? Who covers Telehealth Consults?
Please refer to our claimable services page for information regarding who is currently offering coverage for Online Telehealth Consults or give us a call if you would like to discuss anything with our staff.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to call us at the clinic or email to us any of your concerns or queries.
References:
1. Speyer R, Denman D, Wilkes-Gillan S, Chen YW, Bogaardt H, Kim JH, Heckathorn DE, Cordier R. Effects of telehealth by allied health professionals and nurses in rural and remote areas: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of rehabilitation medicine. 2018 Mar 5;50(3):225-35.
2. Kruse CS, Krowski N, Rodriguez B, Tran L, Vela J, Brooks M. Telehealth and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and narrative analysis. BMJ open. 2017 Aug 1;7(8):e016242.