Northern beaches coronavirus: GPs introduce phone-only consults to protect staff against COVID-19
Some GP surgeries, including one on the northern beaches, are introducing phone-only consultations to protect staff against the coronavirus, as Health Minister Brad Hazzard predicts an exponential increase in cases in the next few weeks.
Manly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Manly. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- COVID-19 clinics open on the beaches for most at risk
- Northern beaches melanoma stories to highlight disease
A large northern beaches GP surgery has stopped doing face-to-face appointments to prevent people infecting staff with the coronavirus.
Narrabeen Family Medical Practice, which has 10 GPs, said on its booking app yesterday “in the interest of all our patients and to protect the wider community Narrabeen Family Medical Practice will offer phone consultations only as of today”.
It follows other surgeries across the country that have introduced the new policy in the last 24 hours.
Dr Nicholas Bernard said his practice could deal with 90 per cent of patients by phone.
“The primary aim is to reduce transmission of this virus in the waiting room and protect my own staff,” he said.
“I see this as the best compromise to provide an ongoing service.
“If we get one case (of the coronavirus) they will shut this place down and people will be quarantined.”
Those who do turn up are being assessed in the carpark and if thought to have COVID-19 symptoms are being sent to Mona Vale Hospital’s special ‘fever’ clinic.
Dr Bernard added it was disappointing that they had a lack of protective equipment and have been given just 200 masks, no protective gowns or eyewear.
A concerned patient with underlying health conditions told the Manly Daily she was not allowed to attend the Narrabeen practice on Tuesday and instead she had a consultation with her doctor via speaker phone.
“I don’t think it is good at all,” said the mum-of-three who did not want to be named.
“This is going to place enormous pressure on our hospitals.
“It shouldn’t be forced on people.”
The Narrabeen mum said the phone consultation was $50 with no rebate, when usually as a health card holder she only pays around $9 for a face-to-face consultation.
Recently the Federal Government allowed GPs to claim Medicare rebates for phone consultations, but only in certain cases, to help protect doctor’s getting sick with the coronavirus.
All patients who suspect they may have the disease are being asked to phone ahead first or go to a special COVID-19 clinic for testing, although there’s strict criteria for testing at hospitals.
Michele Newman, practice manager at Dee Why General, said she had heard of some GP surgeries changing to phone only consultations but that would not happen at her practice.
“We are very much about duty of care for our existing patients,” she said.
“We don’t have the right to turn anyone away particularly the elderly or someone with respiratory issues that are not connected to the virus.”
Dr Harry Nespolon, president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, said he could not comment on “the operational decision-making of the Narrabeen practice or any other clinic’s handling of COVID-19”, but he said the “virus is presenting many challenges for general practice in communities right across Australia and GPs are responding admirably in difficult circumstances”.
“For many patients the local GP clinic is the logical first port of call and there are vital precautions that people should take if they think they may have COVID-19.
“Patients should call ahead to the clinic if they are experiencing flu like symptoms to discuss their symptoms and travel history on the phone rather than just turning up.
“In terms of phone consultations, GPs can take advantage of a new Medicare Benefits Schedule item for telephone and video consultations. The problem is that the item is narrow in scope and only applies to people with confirmed COVID-19 or those in isolation, along with a range of specific groups such as people aged over 70.
“That is why the RACGP is advocating for it to be available for anyone with cold or flu like symptoms who is concerned they might have COVID-19.”
Anyone with severe suggestions of pneumonia should call ahead to a hospital or call triple-0.