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A system for telephone and secure email consultations, with automatic billing
Jonathan Rutland1, Catherine Marie, Benjamin Rutland
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia. jrutland@med.usyd.edu.au
Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare
|December 18, 2004
Summary
A new remote medical consultation service using telephone and internet technologies was launched in Australia. The service facilitated remote doctor-patient interactions, with most consultations conducted via phone.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Telemedicine
Background:
- Traditional medical consultations are primarily face-to-face.
- There is a growing need for accessible and flexible healthcare delivery models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel remote medical consultation service utilizing interactive voice response and internet technologies.
- To assess the adoption and initial usage patterns of this telemedicine service.
Main Methods:
- A remote consultation service was developed, integrating interactive voice response and internet-based communication.
- The service included features for appointment scheduling, automated billing, and dictation/transcription.
- Data were collected on registered users and a sample of consultations for analysis.
Main Results:
- The service launched in late 2003, with approximately 55 doctors and 500 patients registered within six months across five Australian states.
- Analysis of 250 consultations revealed 84% were conducted via telephone and 16% via email.
- Mean consultation fees were AUS$17.11 for telephone and AUS$12.93 for email, with a mean telephone consultation duration of 4.3 minutes.
Conclusions:
- The implemented remote consultation service demonstrated initial user adoption among medical practitioners and patients.
- Telephone-based consultations were the predominant mode of interaction, indicating feasibility and patient preference for this modality.
- The service offers a viable alternative for delivering medical advice remotely, complementing traditional in-person visits.