One in three GPs say profits are down with telehealth
The specialty's pandemic 'selflessness' shows with the move to telehealth hitting the bottom line for 35% of GP practices: CommBank report
More than one third of GP practices have reported a fall in profits from COVID-19’s telehealth measures, while one in four say the vaccination rollout has also hit their bottom line, a survey shows.
Some 35% of practices say telehealth has “negatively affected” their profitability, and 28% report the same for providing vaccinations, the 2021 CommBank GP Insights Report reveals.
More than half of the GPs surveyed also spent more than they had budgeted for on technology upgrades to meet the growing number of telehealth consults.
“The widespread adoption of telehealth has been a monumental task for GPs to manage,” said CommBank, which surveyed “decision makers and influencers” at 223 general practices in May and June this year.
