Private practice metropolitan telepsychiatry in larger Australian states during the COVID-19 pandemic: an analysis of the first 2 months of new MBS telehealth item psychiatrist services.
Australas Psychiatry
; 28(6): 644-648, 2020 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-805384
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Private practice psychiatry in Australia was largely office-based until the Commonwealth Government introduced new psychiatrist Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth items in response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigate the uptake of (1) video and telephone telehealth consultations in April-May 2020, and (2) the overall changing rates of consultation, i.e. total telehealth and in-person consultations across the larger states of Australia.METHOD:
MBS item service data were extracted for COVID-19 psychiatrist video- and telephone-telehealth item numbers and compared with a baseline of the 2018-2019-financial-year monthly average of in-person consultations for New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia.RESULTS:
Total psychiatry consultations (telehealth and in-person) rose during the first wave of the pandemic by 10%-20% compared to the previous year. The majority of private practice was conducted by telehealth in April but was lower in May as new COVID-19 case rates fell. Most telehealth provision was by telephone for short consultations of ⩽15-30 min. Video consultations increased from April into May.CONCLUSIONS:
For large states, there has been a rapid adoption of the MBS telehealth psychiatrist items, followed by a trend back to face-to-face as COVID-19 new case rates reduced. There was an overall increased consultation rate (in-person plus telehealth) for April-May 2020.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Private Practice
/
Telemedicine
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Remote Consultation
/
Videoconferencing
/
Pandemics
/
Mental Health Services
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Oceania
Language:
English
Journal:
Australas Psychiatry
Journal subject:
Psychiatry
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
1039856220961906
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