Telehealth Consultations
Bellbird Sports & Spinal offers physiotherapy and pelvic floor physiotherapy telehealth appointments. Telehealth consultations have been used for many years to allow patients restricted by travel constraints to receive professional care and advice. This service has gained popularity as we manage coronavirus. If you are interested please call or book online and select Telehealth Consultation. We also run Telehealth Clinical Exercise classes.
Telehealth is useful for:
- Advice
- Diagnosis
- Referral for further investigation
- Ongoing management
- Exercise rehabilitation and exercise progressions
- Clinical exercise classes
Q: How do you provide Telehealth?
A: We offer telehealth by three different methods.
Phone
The simplest is a booked phone call. This is for people who do not want to worry about technology and have a condition that can be managed by discussion. Note this is a booked appointment where the physiotherapist has allocated time to manage your condition (We do not charge for brief call backs to clarify aspects of your management).
Doxy.me
Doxy.me has been specifically tailored for medical discussions and is encrypted. We sometimes use a phone call concurrently to improve audio quality. Doxy.me works with the latest versions of Safari, Firefox or Google Chrome on a computer, Google Chrome on an Android device or Safari on iOS (iPhone or iPad).
Zoom
We can also use Zoom for one to one consultations for clients who are comfortable using Zoom and would prefer to use this service. Zoom does not guarantee security with their product in Australia so it is susceptible to hacking. We can combine this service with a concurrent phone call to improve audio quality and improve security for the audio component of the consultation.
We also use Zoom for group classes. We have a large monitor running so we can see each participant and provide tailored feedback. More information about telehealth group classes available here.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Telehealth appointments via regular phone call, Zoom or Doxy.me are charged at our normal consultation rate. When booking a telehealth consultation let us know which method you would prefer.
Q: Is telehealth covered by insurance?
A: Yes, the majority of private health insurance companies now cover telehealth appointments as they would an in rooms consultation. Check with your insurer for details if they have not already forwarded this to you. TAC, WorkSafe and DVA cover telehealth appointments. Chronic disease management plans can be used for telehealth appointments.
Q: Can I book online?
A: Yes private patients can– click on this link or via our normal online booking portal and select a Telehealth Consultation.
Patients claiming through WorkSafe or TAC should call ahead to ensure we have the appropriate paperwork and one of our physiotherapists can confirm it is clinically appropriate.
Q: I am not very good with technology, what do I need?
A: Not a problem!- If you have requested a phone consultation then make sure we know the phone number to call. If you have requested a video call we will send you an email link. Just click on the meeting link a few minutes before your appointment time on either your computer (with webcam and microphone), smartphone or tablet. The device might prompt you to allow internet audio, allow this so we can hear you.
Q: Any tips for using video telehealth?
- An iPad, tablet, smartphone or laptop (with microphone and camera) work great
- Have your device charged if it is battery powered
- If your device relies on WiFi or 4G to connect to the internet then make sure you have a good signal
- Wear suitable clothing, ie if we are looking at your knee then shorts are ideal
- You may be asked to exercise so having a clear well lit space to demonstrate your exercises in view of the camera is ideal
- Minimise other distractions
