Telstra has entered the healthcare business with a bold new plan to utilise its vast network and expertise to connect doctors and patients like never before.
Telstra Health is an all-new business division for the company with a view to becoming Australia’s leading provider of eHealth solutions.
One part of this will be Telstra ReadyCare, formed in conjunction with Swiss-based telemedicine company Medgate, will allow patients to talk directly with GPs over video or the phone.
Designed to complement regular consultations, Telstra ReadyCare will provide advice, diagnosis, prescriptions and referrals.
It will operate 24/7 and give patients separated from their doctor by long distances and who don’t have the time to come to a clinic and wait to be seen, an easier way to seek medical advice.
“We’ve seen what the digital revolution has meant for other industries and we believe that healthcare in Australia could benefit from eHealth to better serve all Australians,” said Telstra group executive of retail, Gordon Ballantyne.
“Telstra Health wants to be the partner of choice in the health industry to connect patients, healthcare workers, hospitals, pharmacies, government and health funds and build a safer, more convenient way of managing health.
“Health spend is growing more than twice as fast as our economy to nearly 10% of GDP, from $120 billion in 2010 to an estimated $200 billion by 2020.
“Many Australians have a different experience of the healthcare system because of where they live. Seven million people in rural and regional Australia access GP services at a lower rate than the national average.
“We see our role as integrating eHealth solutions across all care settings to solve these industry challenges. Telstra Health is about connecting you to your doctor, your doctor to your other providers, and having access to care and information where you want, when you want.”
Silver Chain Group, one of Australia’s largest in-home health care providers, has partnered with Telstra Health to deliver its specialised in-home nursing care.
Telstra’s new eHealth platform will be used to monitor patients when they leave hospital to reduce the risk of their condition deteriorating.
“This integrated approach will result in a higher quality of care, better communication between services and more efficient use of health resources,” Mr Ballantyne said.
“These new services show our commitment to work with health services to provide the eHealth solutions they need to deliver the best possible care to patients in their own homes and communities.”
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