Telehealth Physio
Your Physio Session At Home!
With the recent spate of lockdowns, people have had a lot more time on their hands at home, and for many this has meant more free time to do gardening, working out, home renos, and whatever else you can get up to when you’re trapped at inside!
Online surveys show that people tend to take up more exercise than usual when they’re in lockdown, and in a survey of nearly 2000 people, it was shown that nearly 1 in 8 injured themselves during lockdowns!^ Working out and doing other hobbies are a great way to keep sane, but also a great way to tweak your back or pull a hammy if you’re not careful, especially if your home setup is a little bit less than optimal.
If you’ve hurt yourself while being stuck at home don’t fear! With a telehealth appointment, you can get the advice you need to keep yourself moving from the comfort of your own home. Whether you’re looking for how to deal with a sore back or looking for some new exercises you can do without going to the gym then we’ve got you covered.
So how does telehealth physio work?
We do consultations using our Physitrack/Physiapp software which is ideal as we can send you videos of the exercises in real time during the consult so that you can clearly see and understand what we might want you to do. The exercises are also sent to you via email or the Physiapp so that you have them on record and can do them at home. We can go through the exercises or instructions with you during the consult so that you have 100% understanding of them.
Telehealth consultations may also be done using Zoom. Zoom is great to use if doing a group consultation where there are a few participants, but you are not all in the same place. Group consultations are done where the participants are all having a consultation for the same issue. For example, we may do a group consultation via Zoom for those needing posture and balance exercises, or for those who are similar in strength and we are working on strengthening their core muscles.
We’re still able to see the individual client and ensure that they are performing the exercises correctly. Plus, our team is still able to show you how to do the exercises and watch how you perform them so that we can correct you.
An initial telehealth service where you are a new patient to the clinic or you have a new injury or complaint will be scheduled for up to 45 mins. This will enable us all to get the consultation set up correctly.
You will be invited via:
- Email; all you need to do to enter the consultation is click on the linksent to you. Also, make sure that the device you’re using (laptop, phone, tablet, etc) has both a microphone and camera, and that both of these are enabled correctly.
- App; if you have the Physiapp on your smartphone, it will alert you to the invitation and you can enter the consultation from the app.
It’s important that you wear comfortable clothes, but ones that will enable us to look at your body so that we can get an accurate picture of how you are moving at the site of the injury, posture, any limitations of movement and anything else that will require us to see you clearly.
For this reason, it’s also recommended that you take the call/consultation in a space that is as clear as you can make it and minimise background noise/distractions, as this could make it harder for us to assess you or watch you doing an exercise.
Can I claim telehealth on Medicare or my health fund?
Yes, you can claim telehealth through various private health funds, as long as there is a doctor’s recommendation., however telehealth sessions aren’t able to be claimed on Medicare.
NDIS clients and DVA cardholders can also be seen under telehealth where apropriate. We’ve always welcomed all NDIS and DVA clients, and are now seeing great success with these clients via telehealth sessions.
Also covered are workcover consultations, which need a doctors referral and a claim number. We will follow up with Workcover to ensure they know that it’s a telehealth consultation.
If you’re unsure, or have any questions, get in touch with the team at Graceville Physio.
What happens after my online physio appointment?
Our physiotherapists follow up all telehealth consultations the next day by phone to ensure that you are clear with your exercise program, to check on symptoms, and to offer any additional advice. The excercise program includes exercises to be completed between sessions to offer the best chance of recovery.
Follow up consultations at this stage are also scheduled for up to 45 minutes, but may be shorter in length depending on your needs at the time. No matter what, our aim is to support you in keeping active and becoming pain-free.
Isn’t physio too hands-on for telehealth?
You might think that a telehealth consultation is not as good as a hands-on consultation, but the results show that an online consultation can produce just as good a diagnosis as a hands-on consultation. Really, this means that as a patient you will be more involved in your own treatment and you’ll be able to do more self-treatment, which is more empowering and helps you to take control of your injury/body. Results also show that outcomes of an online telehealth session are similar or better than a face-to-face consultation.
We’re able to offer telehealth sessions with our physio Meredith for:
- General Physio
- Pregnancy Physio
- Sports Physio
- Women’s Health
- Ante-Natal Classes
- Post-Natal Classes
What if my online consultation doesn’t go to plan, like if there’s bad internet?
As we all know, everything that can go wrong often does go wrong. We offer longer 45 minute consults to cover the time of connecting and setting up the consultation without cutting into the time for treatment or assessment.
If all else fails, we will call you on the phone and do whatever we can to help you this way. For this reason, it‘s important that we have all of your details and a contact phone number of someone close to you.
Our focus is helping our patients be able to complete exercises correctly and ensuring that they have a program of treatment that will put them on the best path to recovery. We’re more than happy to discuss whether telehealth is suitable for you – simply call us for a chat.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of physio do you provide via telehealth?
We offer a range of our physio services with our new telehealth consultations, including general physio, women’s health, pregnancy physio, women’s health physio, and ante- and post natal classes. We can also provide advice on posture and workspace set up for students and those working from home.
Is telehealth covered by Medicare?
Unfortunately, no. Telehealth consultations can currently only be claimed through a variety of private health funds.
Is telehealth still available if the clinic is closed?
Yes, it definitely is. Our experienced physios are able to offer telehealth sessions anywhere they, and you, have access to the internet. So, even if our physical clinic is closed temporarily, we’re able to bring you the best care to help you live pain-free.
Contact Graceville Physiotherapy for Telehealth Physio in Brisbane
Spending prolonged periods of time can be hard, and it’s easy to become sedentary. Make sure you’re taking care of your health in all areas, for your best chance of recovery. Contact the team at Graceville Physiotherapy to organise remote physiotherapy to keep you active, moving and pain free at home.
For pricing details for our telehealth sessions, please call our friendly staff.
When booking an appointment online look out for the telehealth appointment option.