Healthdirect Australia
Healthdirect Australia is a national public health information service in Australia.[1] Originally known as the National Health Call Centre Network, Healthdirect Australia offers access to free health helplines[2] as well as online health information and advice.[3]
Public company, non profit | |
Industry | Health care |
Founded | 2006 |
Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Owner | Council of Australian Governments |
Website | www.healthdirect.gov.au |
History
In February 2006, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) signed a Heads of Agreement to establish the National Health Call Centre Network (NHCCN).[4][5][6] The NHCCN commenced delivering services in July 2007, with its core service operating under a single national name, healthdirect Australia, and national phone number - 1800 022 222. In December 2012, the NHCCN changed its trading name to Healthdirect Australia, reflecting the organisation’s evolution from procuring and managing telephone triage services[7] to offering multiple services with integrated telephone and online channels. This was followed in November 2015 by the change of the registered name to Healthdirect Australia Limited. After a review of after-hours primary health care in July 2015, Healthdirect Australia began to operate locally tailored after-hours services and new GP advice and support lines.[8]
Services
Healthdirect Australia's services include a helpline available 24 hours a day,[9][10] an after-hours general practitioner (GP) helpline,[11][12] the healthdirect website (which provides free health information),[13][14][15][16] an app for mobile devices,[17][18][19] and a symptom checker (a guided, online self-triage tool allowing visitors to initiate their health enquiry online).[20] The Pregnancy, Birth and Baby[21] service includes a telephone helpline and a website, providing support to families of children aged up to 5 years.[22][23] Healthdirect services also include the National Health Services Directory (NHSD),[24][25][26] Video Call service [27][28][29][30] and the Carer Gateway for carers to access information and support by phone.
In September 2019, healthdirect and The George Institute for Global Health launched a free online Risk Checker, an online evaluation tool to help Australian consumers check their risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease.[31][32]
References
- Australian Government Directory by Portfolio. "Healthdirect Australia Ltd". www.australia.gov.au. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- Sprivulis, P; Carey, M; Rouse, I (February 2004). "Compliance with advice and appropriateness of emergency presentation following contact with the HealthDirect telephone triage service". Emergency Medicine Australasia. 16 (1): 35–40. doi:10.1111/j.1742-6723.2004.00538.x.
- Ng, Joseph Y.; Fatovich, Daniel M.; Turner, Valender F.; Wurmel, Jennifer A.; Skevington, Sally A.; Philipps, Michael R. (November 2012). "Appropriateness of healthdirect referrals to the emergency department compared with self-referrals and GP referrals". Medical Journal of Australia. 197 (9): 498–502. doi:10.5694/mja12.10689. PMID 23121585.
- Council of Australian Governments' Meeting - 10 February 2006. "National Health Call Centre Network Heads of Agreement 2006+" (PDF). Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- Australian Government Department of Health, Primary and Mental Health Care. "National Health Call Centre Network". www.health.gov.au. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- "Mixed response to health hotline plan". ABC Premium News. ABC. 29 January 2006.
- Dunt, David; Wilson, Robert; Day, Susan E.; Keleher, Margaret; Gurrin, Lyle (October 2007). "Impact of telephone triage on emergency after hours GP Medicare usage: a time-series analysis". Australia and New Zealand Health Policy. 4. doi:10.1186/1743-8462-4-21. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- Australian Government Department of Health, Primary and Mental Health Care. "After hours primary health care". www.health.gov.au. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
- Lord, Bill (1 August 2018). "When is it OK to call an ambulance?". The Conversation. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- Chien-Yu Wang, Amy (8 February 2017). "Settlement Guide: How to see a doctor in Australia". SBS News. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- Your Health. "After-hours GP Helpline Now Available". Your Health. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Georgiou, Andrew; Li, Ling; Xiong, Juan; Byrne, Mary; Robinson, Maureen; Westbrook, Johanna (2016). "Healthdirect's After Hours GP helpline – a survey of patient satisfaction with the service and compliance with advice" (PDF). Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. 227 (Digital Health Innovation for Consumers, Clinicians, Connectivity and Community): 87–92. doi:10.3233/978-1-61499-666-8-87. PMID 27440294. Retrieved 28 July 2017 – via PubMed.
- Australian Government. "Health Information". Australian Government. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Healy, Judith (2017). "Patients as regulatory actors in their own health care". Regulatory Theory: Foundations and Applications. Regulatory Theory. ANU Press. p. 596. ISBN 9781760461010. JSTOR j.ctt1q1crtm.46.
- The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network. "Evaluating health information on the Internet". Sydney Children's Hospitals Network. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Lewis, Sophie; Willis, Karen; Franklin, Marika (12 February 2014). "Don't panic! Healthy consumers look online for medical advice". The Conversation. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- "healthdirect app launched today!!". Mental Health Carers NSW. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- McDonald, Kate (29 October 2015). "App combines symptom checker, health info and service finder". Pulse+IT. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- McDonald, Kate (19 July 2018). "Healthdirect launches voice-activated flu app". Pulse+IT. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- Browne, Kate. "Beyond Doctor Google". Choice. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Australian Government. "Pregnancy, Birth and Baby". The Department of Health. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Nurse and Midwife Support. "Pregnancy, Birth and Baby". Nurse and Midwife Support. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Scott, Karen. "Looking online for info on your child's health? Here are some tips". The Conversation. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- Government of South Australia. "National Health Services Directory". SA Health. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- Health Direct Australia. "National Health Services Directory". healthdirect. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
- McDonald, Kate (16 September 2012). "NHSD to develop endpoint location, telehealth directories". Pulse+IT. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- McDonald, Kate (16 January 2019). "Healthdirect offering Video Call for free to GPs in drought-affected regions". Pulse+IT. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- McDonald, Kate (8 May 2017). "Passion and pragmatism driving virtual health service in western NSW". Pulse+IT. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- Browning, Jen (28 June 2019). "Telehealth saves lives and time on the road in NSW". ABC News. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- "Healthdirect Australia partners with Coviu to power its video consulting service". Healthcare IT News. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- O'Mallon, Finbar (17 September 2019). "New test for nation's 'biggest killers'". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
- "New risk checker helps Australians tackle preventable diseases". The New Daily. 16 September 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.