Telehealth benefits between $2-4 billion per year

Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, said a new report by Access Economics estimated the benefits of telehealth to Australia could be between $2 billion and $4 billion a year.

The report, Financial and externality impacts of high speed broadband for telehealth, found telehealth offers the potential for significant benefits to Australia’s population, especially for people who are elderly or who live in rural or remote communities.

“Telehealth including online consultations, electronic health records, in-home care, and online health education will not only open up new possibilities in health care delivery, but will have significant savings on the health budget,” said Senator Conroy.

The report found one of the reasons telehealth in Australia has been held back is the lack of high-speed broadband, particularly in rural areas.

The report noted that even where high-speed broadband was available, it often had slow upload speeds and reliability could be patchy.

“The National Broadband Network will fix these issues once and for all,” Senator Conroy said.

The report also found that the limited number of telehealth services for which the Medicare Benefits Schedule applies is also a constraint.

This week the Prime Minister announced that if re-elected, patients will be able to access Medicare rebates for online consultations across a range of specialities, helping all Australians, including those in our regions and outer suburbs, get the health care they need.

“Let’s be clear, this will only be possible under a Gillard Labor Government,” Senator Conroy said.

“The National Broadband Network will literally change the way we live and work by significantly expanding the range and sophistication of services that can be delivered online.

“As the NBN is rolled out, it will provide greater reliability and Internet speeds that are up to 1,000 times faster than most people experience today.

“Tony Abbott will cut funding for hospitals, GP Super Clinics, the GP after hours helpline, and e-health records, and he will pull the plug on the National Broadband Network – leaving our health system and our economy in the dark ages.”

The report was commissioned by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.