Health professionals at your service 24/7
Call My Doctor for Tablelands provides 100 per cent bulk-billed care
HEALTH services in the Tablelands have received a much-needed boost with the introduction of improved access to after-hours health care.
A general practitioner (GP) and telehealth service, Call My Doctor, was announced yesterday in Mareeba and will start on February 1, offering 100 per cent bulk billed afterhours in-home GP consultations and telehealth services.
Patients will be connected to a trained team of nurses and health professionals by calling 134 711, where non-urgent and non-life-threatening situations will be booked in for an inhome consultation.
The service is funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network and will operate from 6pm to 8am Monday to Friday, from 12pm on Saturdays, and 24 hours on Sundays and public holidays.
Call My Doctor Partner Lindsay Stewart said the team was looking forward to working in collaboration with NQPHN to provide these much-needed services to the community.
“Our goal is to increase the access and availability of afterhours and home-visiting healthcare services, especially in rural, remote, and indigenous communities,” Mr Stewart said.
“Call My Doctor have contracted fully qualified GPs for in-home consultations, with the capability to also provide telehealth services.
“Our telehealth services allow patients to phone or video link directly to one of our doctors and will also be able to receive their scripts from our partner pharmacy as required.”
Call My Doctor GPs will have the ability to send consultancy notes to the patient’s regular GP to assist with follow up appointments.
NQPHN Mareeba primary healthcare manager Elisa Capaldi said the service aimed to improve after-hours services and access to primary health care and assist in reducing unnecessary Emergency Department (ED) presentations across the region.
“NQPHN is looking forward to working with Call My Doctor to improve healthcare capabilities and services in Mareeba and Tablelands that can be sustained into the future,” Ms Capaldi said.
“Patients and community members are still urged to call their regular GP in the first instance to seek advice of their options, however, if this is not an option an afterhours doctor should be their next step.
“In non-urgent and non-life threatening cases an afterhour GP service such as Call My Doctor would be a timely and appropriate option, easing the pressure on EDs so they can concentrate on caring for people with more serious conditions.
“Dialling triple-0 or visiting the ED is still your best option in a medical emergency.
“This collaboration will assist with the provision of highquality, comprehensive afterhours healthcare for Mareeba and Tablelands residents, so that individuals receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
All Call My Doctor GPs will be fully equipped to diagnose and treat most non-urgent conditions and injuries.
editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost