It’s time for GPs to step back from telehealth and encourage face-to-face consultations, to benefit patients and protect their practices’ bottom lines, says Queensland GP Dr Sonu Haikerwal.

The Gold Coast GP stresses telehealth is a welcome initiative, which will continue to play an important role in general practice, for follow-up and quicker consultations.

But nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and with community transmission largely controlled, the priority should be returning to the “norm” of in-person consultations, as circumstances allow.

“Telehealth has got its pluses, I’m not refuting that, but I think we must not kid ourselves to think it is an alternative. It is a complementary service to what we do,” she tells 6minutes.