Phone consults will be the ‘bedrock of telehealth’ for GPs, says Greg Hunt

The health minister's comments come amid debate about the clinical value of phone-based care
Geir O'Rourke
Greg Hunt
Greg Hunt.

Phone consults will be the “bedrock” of Australia’s permanent Medicare funding model for telehealth, which could be in place by January next year, Greg Hunt says. 

The federal Minister for Health stressed that, while video was sometimes the clinically preferred option for doctors, he was pushing for MBS items for phone consults to remain in place.