There have been 2,275 MBS items claimed for videoconferencing since July 1, with more than two thirds of the consultations being in GP practices in rural areas.
Also, about 12% were in remote areas involving psychiatric attendances, specialist consultations and a smaller number of neurosurgery and obstetric attendances, the Senate heard last week.
According to the Senate hearing, 19% of the services were in RA1, inner and outer metropolitan areas; 35% in RA2; and 34% in RA3.
“The impression we are getting is that the overwhelming majority of these services, from the patients' perspective, are being done at GPs' rooms,” a health department delegate said.
A recent systematic review found communication by videoconference was becoming more commonplace, noting “consistent good to excellent diagnostic agreement” with videoconference across specialties including rheumatology, psychiatry and dermatology.
The review identified a non-randomised prospective study of videoconferencing in rheumatology which found it to be “highly reliable for diagnosis”.
In that study, the GP took the history of each patient in the study, followed by a three-way telephone conference and then videoconference between the GP, patient and rheumatologist.