Telehealth
Video consultations are available for patients in Medicare-approved regions, for first appointments where suitable and for many follow-ups. The rooms can confirm your eligibility when you book. Some assessments still need to be done in person, and the rooms will tell you if that applies.
Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane
Watkins Medical Centre, Spring Hill, or telehealth
A current GP or specialist referral is needed
At a glance
Patients in Medicare-approved telehealth regions, or who have seen Dr Tollesson in person in the past 12 months.
A video link sent by the rooms. A phone, tablet or computer with a camera.
The same Medicare rebate as an in-person consultation, with a current referral.
A physical examination cannot be done by video. Some appointments need to be in person.
Who can be seen by telehealth
Medicare rules on specialist telehealth depend on where you live and whether you have an existing relationship with the practice. The rooms will check when you book.
Specialist video consultations attract a Medicare rebate for patients who live in eligible regional, rural and remote areas, and for patients who have had a face-to-face consultation with Dr Tollesson in the previous twelve months. Patients in metropolitan Brisbane who have not been seen before will usually be asked to attend the rooms for the first appointment.
Whether a first appointment is suitable for telehealth also depends on the condition. Where the scans tell most of the story, a first consultation by video can work well; where examination is needed to make a plan, an in-person appointment is arranged. The rooms will advise, and you can always ask.
Scans
Your imaging needs to reach the rooms before a telehealth appointment so that it can be reviewed on screen with you. Ask your radiology practice to share the images electronically with the rooms, or send the rooms the access details for any online image link you have been given.
How a video consultation works
No software to buy and no account to set up. A link, a device with a camera, and a quiet room.
- The rooms send a link by email or SMS before the appointment, with the time and a phone number to call if the connection fails
- Use a phone, tablet or computer with a camera and microphone, on wifi or a good mobile signal, in a quiet place where you can talk freely
- Have your medication list, your questions and a pen and paper to hand; a family member is welcome to join you
- Click the link a few minutes before the appointment time; Dr Tollesson joins when the previous consultation finishes, so a short wait is normal
- Scans are shared on screen during the call so that you can see what is being described
- If the video fails, the consultation continues by telephone and the rooms will call you
After the call
The consultation letter goes to your GP as usual, the rooms follow up any tests or referrals, and the fee and Medicare claim are handled by phone or email. Medical certificates can be emailed.
Watkins Medical Centre, Spring Hill. Consultations in person or by telehealth, Monday to Friday.
When you need to be seen in person
Telehealth is a convenience, not a substitute for examination. Some things have to be done in the room.
A new neurological problem, a change in symptoms that needs examination, planning for surgery, and post-operative wound checks are usually done in person. If an operation is proposed after a telehealth consultation, at least one in-person appointment is arranged before the surgery date.
Patients travelling to Brisbane from regional Queensland may be eligible for the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme; the rooms and your GP can help with the paperwork. Where possible, in-person appointments are grouped with other tests on the same day to reduce travel.
If you are unsure whether your appointment can be done by video, ask the rooms on (07) 3870 3708. They will say plainly which is better for you.
Dr Gert TollessonNeurosurgeon, Brisbane
Ready to talk it through?
A current referral is needed to book. If you do not have one yet, call the rooms on (07) 3870 3708 and they will explain what to ask your GP for.
Request a consultation
Send your details and the rooms will call you to arrange a time. Referrals are triaged as they arrive.
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. No referral yet? The rooms will explain what to ask your GP for.
Before your appointment
What happens from referral to follow-up, and what it costs.