Two in three Australians over the age of 60 say they would ‘dial-a-doctor’ again after using telehealth services for the first time during COVID-19.
A survey of more than 1,200 older Australians by the Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA) has found 67% of older Australians would feel confident using a telehealth service again.
Almost half of those surveyed (49%) said they’d continue using it after the pandemic.
As social distancing restrictions have made traditional visits impossible, a range of GP and specialist appointments have been conducted online or over the phone – and the majority of those surveyed were happy with the service.
85% considered the quality of care to be the same or better than normal, while 88% believed they were receiving same or better in terms of ‘value for money’.
It makes sense to us – talking to your GP online or even just over the phone is more convenient with no need to travel or wait in the doctor’s office.
That’s not to say there hasn’t been without the occasional hiccup, however.
38% of those surveyed experienced some difficulties with the service, with awkwardness, technical glitches and a less ‘perceived warmth’ among the most common gripes.
But it looks like talking to your doctor over the phone is here to stay!
