Question On Notice No. 769 asked in the Legislative Council on 13 March 2018 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Question Directed to the: Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Health
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the Royalties for Regions funded trial of Telstra ReadyCare, and I ask:
(a) when did the trial commence and conclude;
(b) what was the total cost of the trial;
(c) how many eligible calls were made to ReadyCare during the trial;
(d) please identify the number of eligible calls by Western Australia Country Health Service sub-region;
(e) how was the service communicated and marketed to eligible regional users; and
(f) what progress has been made to seek amendment by the Australian Government to the Medicare Benefits Schedule funding of technology enabled health care solutions?
Answered on 10 April 2018
I am advised that:
(a) The initial trial of the ReadyCare GP telehealth pilot commenced on 1 April 2016 and concluded on 31 March 2017. The pilot was extended to 30 June 2017 (pilot extension). Since completion of the pilot, the 1800 CallADoc service for five country regions in Western Australia has continued to be funded by the WA Primary Health Alliance.
(b) The initial trial cost $720,000 including $100,000 from WACHS Southern Inland Health Initiative funded from RfR, excluding GST. The pilot extension was funded by WA Primary Health Alliance and not included in the initial trial cost.
(c) ReadyCare conducted 532 consultations between 1 April 2016 and 30 June 2017.
(d) Proportion of ReadyCare consultations during this period by WACHS regions:
|
Region
|
%
|
|
Goldfields
|
3%
|
|
Great Southern
|
4%
|
|
Midwest
|
72%
|
|
South West
|
12%
|
|
Wheatbelt
|
8%
|
|
Outside trial area
|
1%
|
(e) The following communication and marketing was conducted over the trial period:
- Establishment of a service name and rebranding as “1800 CallADoc”.
- Marketing collateral in the form of consumer and GP pamphlets and a poster.
- Telstra Health digital marketing and search engine marketing, and complementary strategies developed by WACHS including media stories to local newspapers and newsletter; brief messages to websites and Facebook pages, and distribution of the poster and consumer brochures.
- WA Health Alliance and Rural Health West e-newsletters (circulated to General Practitioners [GPs]).
(f) Correspondence and discussion has occurred between Rural Health West (RHW), WA GP Education and Training Ltd (WAGPET), WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) and Commonwealth representatives.