Pre-Consult Information

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth, in the context of the Australian healthcare setting, can be defined as the use of videoconferencing technologies to conduct a medical consultation where audio and visual information is exchanged in real time.

Before your scheduled telehealth appointment process

Please fill in your Pre-Consultation assessment form (click here to access) The questions in this online form will help you and your Podiatrist navigate your Initial Podiatry Telehealth consultation. Some of the questions may not be relevant to you, if so, please leave them blank.

Your Telehealth Appointment Process

The day before your appointment you will receive an appointment reminder; this will include a link to your Telehealth appointment and a reminder to pay for your appointment if you haven’t done so already.
We use the Telehealth Platform Coviu for our consults. You are not required to download any additional apps to use this service, simply click on the provided link. As long as you can read this webpage, you are able to view the page.

When it’s time for your appointment, click on the link you have been sent. You will be taken to an online waiting room where you will be asked to click an agreement that you understand the Terms and Conditions of the appointment; please see a copy of these Terms and Conditions below.

There will be some pleasant waiting room music to keep you entertained until your Podiatrist is ready to take you call.

Appointment Types and details

Initial Telehealth Consult (click here for product purchase and payment)

• 45-60 mins
• $60 (claimable through HICAPS and Medicare with referral)

Follow-up Telehealth Consult

• 30-45 mins
• $45 (claimable through HICAPS and Medicare with referral)

Brief Review Telehealth Consult

• 5-15 mins
• $30 (not claimable through HICAPS or Medicare)

Payment Process

Payments must be paid prior to your scheduled Telehealth appointment; you will pay this via a link above or through the link you received in your text or email.

Please understand that if we do not receive payment prior to your scheduled Telehealth appointment, we cannot proceed with the consult.  If payment is not made prior to your scheduled Telehealth appointment it will be considered missed and a missed appointment fee will be charged.

Missed appointment Fees

Initial Consult – $45

Review Consult – $30

Brief Consult – $20

Rebates

Some Private Health Insurance companies are providing rebates for Podiatry Telehealth Consults. Please call your Health Fund prior to your appointment and ask if they are one of these providers. The rebate codes are 901 and 902. We will provide you with a receipt to claim online through your health fund following your appointment.

Chronic Disease Management Plan patients (EPC) will receive their Medicare rebate as per usual following their Telehealth consult.

Department on Veteran’s Affairs

For DVA patients, Veterans Affairs will be billed for the Telehealth consult, there are codes made available to Podiatrists for this. They include consult codes and footwear prescription codes.

Once we receive your returned paperwork and payment, we are ready to go!

Terms and Conditions of your Telehealth Appointment

I understand that a Telehealth consult is as important at managing my foot health as a face to face consult in the clinic.

I understand that it is important I follow the advice of the Podiatrist to obtain the best results for my foot problem.

I am aware that the Podiatrist will email me a copy of my management plan following our initial consultations.

I agree to pay for my Telehealth consultation prior to attending and accept that if I do not attend the Telehealth appointment I will incur a missed appointment fee as per the Fees provided in my Information Pack.

If you have any queries in regards to this document, please email [email protected] or call on 54470557

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my problem suitable for telehealth consultation?

A surprising number of conditions we as Podiatrists can be assessed and managed online. We can also do follow-up reviews online to save you having to attend the clinic. This is particularly helpful if you are a busy person or unwell.

If you are unsure whether your concern is suitable for a telehealth consultation, send us an email, and we will let you know.

Do I need a referral to use the telehealth services?

No, you do not need a referral for telehealth services with our Podiatrists. We do accept DVA referrals, Chronic Disease Management Plans, TAC and Work Cover*

*please discuss prior to consult

Will the Podiatrist tell me if I need to see a Podiatrist or Doctor in person?

Absolutely! If we deem that your condition requires a hands on assessment, or the problem can’t be managed online through advice, then we will definitely point you in the right direction of treatment. Our Podiatrists are skilled at detecting when an injury requires face to face investigation

How can a Podiatrist diagnose my problem if they haven’t physically assessed my feet?

All of our Podiatry appointments whether they are face to face or online begin with a thorough ‘objective assessment’. We spend the majority of our time running through a series of well-structed and directed questions to help ascertain the cause of your problem. For this reason, initial assessments transfer fantastically to telehealth consultations.

Once we have gathered all our information, we can then get you to perform further tests and use different forms of assessment to form our final diagnosis. We can then organise a management plan and advise you to attend the clinic if required.

How can the Podiatrist treat my problem without physically being there?

Although a lot of treatments Podiatrists offer utilise a “hands-on” approach, so much of the treatment we give is through recommendations and advice.

We have also set up a new process whereby you can order the items needed online to be delivered to your door, how great is that!? There are many conditions that can be treated without a hands-on approach and you can be assured that if your Podiatrist feels you require hands-on treatment, they will advise you of this.

You have given me a treatment and I’m not sure if I’m doing it right!

The wonderful thing about online services is that we have the wonders of utilising this to send instructions to your living room! To alleviate the concerns over how to do a treatment that has been given to you, we have created an online resource with all our ‘how to’ videos.

If your Podiatrist gives you a treatment plan, they will also direct you with links to the ‘how to’ guides on this. All advice is clear and well-illustrated with video or photos.

Can I get health insurance rebated for my online consultation?

Some health insurers are now covering telehealth consultations for Podiatry. It is best to contact your health insurer to ask this question. If you are covered, we will provide you with a receipt to claim from your health fund following payment being received.

What payment methods are available?

We are currently processing payments through our Front Desk System. You are required to provide your bank account details prior to your consult. Your payment will be processed just prior to your Telehealth consult and a receipt issued following the consult.

Please understand that we cannot commence the consult until payment has been made.

Do I need any specific operating system to have my telehealth appointment?

We tailor your consultation to the equipment and bandwidth that you have available. We send you out a pre-appointment information pack that has a series of questions to check your set up. If there are any issues, we work with you to find a solution. If you have any queries regarding this, please contact us.