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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This is perhaps pedantic but there are
tele-psychiatry item numbers that cover video conferencing. This includes
one-on-one with the psychiatrist and also case conferencing.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>A group of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Brisbane</st1:City></st1:place> based Psychiatrists started a
company back in 2001 to provide tele-psychiatry, pre-empting, the creation of
those item numbers. Telstra put in a fair bit of money to get exclusive rights
to the DSL services that were to be delivered to GP surgeries in remote areas.
GP’s in Emerald, Chinchilla, Goondawindi, etc, took up the service.
Pharma companies like Lily, MSD, paid money to do e-Detailing (so that reps can
be on-line instead of being in surgeries).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The reasons why the service failed - despite
item numbers – was because of the inability of private patients to cover
the gap and the inability of doctor’s to simply charge item number
amounts. And, of course, the monthly rental charge that the doctors would have
to pay. There were other reasons as well.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>From what I remember….<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span lang=EN-US
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
ausnog-bounces@lists.ausnog.net [mailto:ausnog-bounces@lists.ausnog.net] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Narelle<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, 17 August 2010 4:06
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Shaun Deans :: BlueFibre<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b> ausnog@lists.ausnog.net<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [AusNOG] Gillard
promises video doctors with NBN</span></font><span lang=EN-US><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
What has been announced is nothing like the pork barrel being made out in some
quarters.<br>
<br>
At present the only telemedicine consult that has a medicare item number is a
psychiatric phone consult, ie the phone call to your psychiatrist when
suicidal. Other than that, if the doctor isn't in the room with you, it can't
be charged.<br>
<br>
In medical practice, very little happens without a medicare item number. If you
can't bill for it, doctors won't do it.<br>
<br>
Simply put, the announcement means that new medicare item numbers will be
introduced for telemedicine consults. That is, some calls will be able to be made
via teleconferencing or even more specialist telemedical systems, and the same
sort of bill can be charged as for a normal consultation.<br>
<br>
Studies undertaken in telemedicine repeatedly show that video conferencing and
other specialist telemedical systems are extremely useful for a range of things
including: clinical follow ups, specialist assistance calls (eg local doctor
with remote specialist), second opinions, clinical review meetings and
training. Last year one of my team's PhD submission covered extensive
analysis on surgical follow ups using a system developed in the same
CSIRO lab. For the kids being followed up over a period of years, coming from
great distances, this made a huge difference to the quality of care and overall
impact on the family.<br>
<br>
Time and time again telemedicine take up in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> has been measured as low
purely and simply due to there being no ability to charge for it. This is an
anomaly that is long overdue for correction. With this policy change, the
appropriate clinical practices can then develop and hopefully more of the
application systems that we couldn't get funding for - largely due to this
anomaly.<br>
<br>
<br>
all the best<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 2:04 PM, Shaun Deans :: BlueFibre <<a
href="mailto:s.deans@bluefibre.com.au">s.deans@bluefibre.com.au</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<div link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap: break-word'>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'>Andrew.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'>This is actually a really good service.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'>You can learn more about it from one of my clients sites : <a
href="http://www.teledr.com.au/" target="_blank">http://www.teledr.com.au/</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'>It's also only extending the services which are offered by a GP
to people in remote areas who can't get to them.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><font
size=2 color="#1f497d" face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#1F497D'>What's the use of a super NBN (what every form the
"pony" takes) if we don't embrace the tech that uses it ??</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><br>
<br clear=all>
<br>
-- <br>
<br>
<br>
Narelle<br>
<a href="mailto:narellec@gmail.com">narellec@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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