Our Telehealth appointments mean you can still have your usual Physiotherapy appointment from the comfort of your own home.
You’ll see our friendly faces on PhysiTrack, our easy-to-use tele-consultation app.
The Physitrack Telehealth app is a really simple application that lets us continue with your Physiotherapy appointments without you having to come in and see us. It’s the perfect way to continue your treatment and combat aches and pains, while keeping you and the community safe from Coronavirus.
We’ll still ‘see’ you, the only difference is we won’t be able to do any hands-on work.
We’ll be able to educate, provide self-care (tips & tricks), devise home programs and pacing programs, and give advice on pain education. We can even teach a loved one how to help with your treatment.
We’ve been using PhysiTrack for a while now so we know it works well for our patients. We’ve put together some FAQ’s below outlining how it works, what to expect and how to access your rebates.
As always, if you’ve got any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch with Di and the team.
Your appointment
I’ve got an appointment, what shall I do?
Nothing. Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything!
If you’re booked in for treatment then we’ll be in touch with you soon to explain what will happen. All appointments are now Physiotherapy tele-consulations using the Physitrack Telehealth app, so please don’t come in to see us.
Can I still book an appointment?
You sure can.
Just get in touch with us in the usual ways. Call Di on 0497 111 127 or head to the booking page on our website. We’ll be in touch to talk through the help you need and, if required, how to set up your Telehealth appointment.
PhysiTrack Telehealth: how it works
How does the app work?
It’s really simple. It’s like using Skype or Zoom, but better.
You just go to your App store and load the app to your phone, Ipad, tablet or download it on your computer or laptop. It’ll be called the ‘PhysiApp’ on your end, that’s what you’ll need to look for when you download it.
It’ll look like this:
We’ll talk you through how to access it and put it on your device. You’ll need Wi-Fi to make it work and you’ll need to use your microphone and video on your device.
(Don’t have access to WI-FI? Scroll down to the Troubleshooting section).
How do we make the call?
When you’ve downloaded the app, your Physiotherapist will call you on your device at the scheduled time. When you answer the call you’ll see your friendly Physio on your screen and they’ll be able to see you.
We’ll talk to you as we would in a normal consultation. We’ll also be able to share different screens with you including short videos showing recommended exercises. We can watch you do the exercises and give you advice and support. The app also lets us save your personalised home program, so you’ll have easy access to it from the comfort of your home.
What shall I wear during the call?
Wear something comfortable that lets you move freely. You wear even wear your PJ’s if you want!
If you’ve been to see us before you might want to wear the same as you would in a normal face-to-face consultation. You’ll be doing a few exercises and we’ll want to see you moving freely.
What’s the best place to set up the call?
If possible find a room with a bit of space so we can see you moving and talk you through how to do movements.
Payment and Rebates
Will my Private Health fund cover the Telehealth consultation?
For many people, yes.
We know Health Funds are fast-tracking this for their members. From 14 April 2020 many Health Funds have said they will be providing coverage for their members to have access to Physiotherapy teleconsultations (Telehealth).
You’ll need to contact your personal Health Fund to check their policy, or have a chat to Di and she can help you find the answer (she’s great like that!).
There are some conditions to getting your benefits. They are:
- You’re undergoing an existing course of treatment and have seen a physiotherapist over the past six months, or
- For new patients, the tele-physiotherapy service has been recommended by your general practitioner or relevant medical specialist, and
- The primary condition being treated is one of the following:
- Post orthopaedic surgery rehabilitation (for example a total hip or knee replacement)
- Chronic musculoskeletal condition (for example osteoarthritis)
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Pulmonary rehabilitation, or
- pelvic floor muscle training,
- You receive the service before 30 September 2020, and
- The service is undertaken in accordance with Australian Physiotherapy Association guidelines (we’ll take care of that bit).
Your personal health fund may have additional conditions so please check with them before booking.
You can read more about accessing your Health Fund benefits here .
Can I get a Medicare rebate for the Telehealth consultation?
We’re still waiting to hear about Medicare rebates, we’ll let you know as soon as we know more information.
If and when they’re made available, they’ll only for patients with existing or new Team Care Arrangements (TCA’s). This only applies to patients with chronic health conditions. You’ll need to speak to your GP about getting a TCA. We know it’s not easy to access your GP at this time and we ask you to please stay safe when attending appointments.
Troubleshooting
I don’t have WI-FI
If you don’t have access WI-FI then don’t worry, we can always do a phone consult with you. It just means you won’t be able to see us. We’ll still be able to educate you and offer advice to alleviate your pain or discomfort based on what you’re telling us.
I’m terrible with technology
Don’t worry, we’ll talk you through it as best we can and hopefully we can get it all set up for you. It’s easier than you think.
If you’re really struggling then we might recommend a phone consult instead.
Can we use Skype instead?
Unfortunately we can’t use any other system of video calling.
The app we use is specifically designed for Physiotherapy appointments and fully encrypted to ensure your privacy. It also has additional features such as sharing screens, sharing physio exercises, saving your home program and letting us record the session for our notes.
Get in touch
Our main priority is getting you the help you need so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Even though we’re not available face-to-face, we’re still available on the phone. To get in touch just call us on 0497 111 127 or to head our contact page and fill in the contact form.
Don’t hold back! We want to hear from you and are here to answer any of your questions.