Provides financial incentives to eligible aged care services that help patients participate in video consultation, with a specialist, consultant physician or consultant psychiatrist (Medicare, 2012).

Who is eligible for telehealth incentive?

Telehealth is available to all residential aged care services (urban and rural) that provide care and accommodation to residents under the Aged Care Act 1997 and hold a residential aged care service ID (Medicare, 2012).

·         On Board incentive - a one-off, lump sum payment available to eligible aged care facilities on lodgement of both the On Board application and the claim for hosting a telehealth consultation.

 

·         Telehealth Hosting Service Incentive – an ongoing, monthly payment based on the total number of telehealth consultations between a specialist and resident conducted within the aged care service during the month.

                                                                                                                          (Medicare, 2012)(RACGP, n.d.)

·         Provides better access for residents to specialist care;

·         Reduced waiting times to see a specialist / medical practitioner;

·         Reduces the travel costs and time associated with taking a resident to a specialist; and

·         Reduces the number or people and the time the RACF spends on arranging and providing medical care for residents (RACGP,n.d.).

·         Have access to appropriate telehealth equipment;

·         Have a room appropriate for a telehealth consultation; and

·         Have used and can provide a report on telehealth hosted consultations in order to receive the On Board and Hosting service incentive (Medicare, 2012).

·         Medical practitioners;

·         Practice nurses and Aboriginal health workers (on behalf of a medical practitioner);

·         Nurse practitioners; and

·         Midwives (Medicare, 2012).

The general privacy requirements are the same as those for standard face-to-face consultations. The video aspect should, however be conducted via a secure infrastructure or encryption and the patient should be told and asked for their consent to proceed with the video consultation.

1.       What type of video conferencing will we require?

·         General; and

·         Complex medical or diagnostic.

 

2.       What type of video conferencing accommodation can you provide?

·      Utilise an existing GP/ specialist room at the RACF;

·      Have a Video conferencing specific consulting room; and

·      Enable residents to access Telehealth within their rooms

 

3.       Will we have access to high speed internet?

·         Assessment of whether an internet connection will need to be upgraded – if that is possibleWill you have a dedicated nternet connection for video conferencing?

 

4.       What is the expected volume of consultations?

·         Will the GPs/ specialists currently managing your patients care be willing / able to use telehealth?

 

5.       How many specialists /GPs that the RACF regularly see are already Telehealth enabled?