We know a lot of our Physiotherapy clients benefit from hands on treatment, but we know that you can benefit from a digital health appointment too.
What is Digital Healthcare?
Digital healthcare is the use of information and communication technologies to deliver health care when patients and care providers are not in the same physical location. At Well & Good we are able to offer Physiotherapy, Dietetics, and Psychology via digital health. This is all done via secure video conference.
As a physiotherapist my strengths lie in communication, problem solving and empathy. Physiotherapists have the ability to educate and effectively prescribe exercises, combined with a thorough knowledge of physiology, anatomy, disease process and rehabilitation principles.
During a video consult, I am able use these skills to find out what is happening for you, whether that be pain, or a reduction in function, or maybe you had some surgery 6-8 weeks ago and are now ready to get moving again.
A digital health appointment allows us to observe how you move, to formulate a diagnosis and then offer advice on pain management, mobility and exercises that are appropriate for your stage of recovery, as well as offer information around what you can expect in terms of time frames for returning to your usual function.
How does it work?
We are continuing to use our usual practice management system Cliniko.
Cliniko has inbuilt digital health capability meaning we don’t need to use an external application or platform.
How to book:
You can still call the clinic and speak to one of our human receptionists, or book online as per usual. Call (03) 577 8999 or book now online.
How to attend your appointment:
Once your appointment has been made you will receive an email (within minutes) with a link to our ‘New Patient Information and Consent Form’ as well as a link to ‘Join Appointment’ and all the details of when your appointment is.
At the time of your appointment all you need to do is click on the link in your email. There is no need to download an app, or any other software. You will need to be on a device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone with a camera and microphone (most modern devices have these components inbuilt).
Once you click the link you will come to a screen that looks like this:
Click on ‘connect to call’ and you will then see a prompt from your browser asking if you will allow Cliniko to access your microphone and camera. You will need to allow this, otherwise your practitioner won't be able to see or hear you.
If your practitioner is not yet there, you'll see a screen that says 'Waiting for [practitioner's name] to join the call'. Once they arrive, you will see the video of them in the big screen, and you will be in the little screen in the lower corner.
What will the appointment be like:
With all the technology out of the way, your appointment will be much like any other physio appointment. Your therapist will ask you a series of questions to begin to understand what is causing your problem. They will ask you to show them how you are moving and may want to know certain activities that are causing you pain/problems. They will then discuss with you what they think is going on and the strategy to overcome it. You will probably be given exercises or stretches to complete and you may be asked to modify certain activities.
If you are given exercises your therapist will email these through to you after the consult – you won’t need to remember them or even take notes. You will be given opportunity to ask questions and voice any concerns that you might have. We will continue to be in touch with the rest of your healthcare team such as your GP or Specialist as required.
Frequently Asked Questions:
"I need to fill in an ACC form – how do I do that?"
We are able to fill in a digital ACC form for you during the consult. You will get a text message to confirm your ACC details not long after the claim is lodged.
"What if I need and x-ray or ultrasound?"
We can still refer you for these as required.
"Is the video link secure? What about my privacy?"
Cliniko's telehealth functionality is safe and secure—only you and the therapist can be a part of the meeting. All telehealth sessions are encrypted end-to-end, and we're using a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) service, that means that the conversation is not being accessed by anyone other than the participants on the session. Your session will not be recorded.
"I don’t have a device / I’m not tech savvy / Technology scares me, but I’m in pain, help?" Please don’t wait until you are able to be seen face-to-face if you are having pain or discomfort. If you are unable to access us via Cliniko, please call our reception team and they will arrange for one of our therapist’s to give you a call.
"Do I pay for a telehealth consultation?" Yes, you will still pay a consultation fee. The cost will be the same as your usual consultation as it still takes our therapists time and expertise to manage. If at this time you have financial pressure but need to be seen, please contact our reception team and we will take care of you =).
In these strange and unprecedented times, health and wellbeing should remain a priority for everyone. Just because we are in the middle of a pandemic does not mean pain miraculously disappears overnight. The team of therapists at Well & Good remain available to provide their usual exceptional standard of care to the Marlborough community. If we are able to help, please get in touch.
Kate McNabb is a Physiotherapist with over 14 years experience in treating a range of conditions from sports and orthopaedic, spinal cord and head injuries, to cancer rehabilitation. Kate also teachers Yoga and is a certified Lymphoedema Therapist. Her aim is to give her clients the tools they need to live a better quality of life.