Online Video Consultation FAQ's and Procedures
How Online Video Appointments work:
With our current video consultation program Physitrack your Physiotherapist is able to:
Is my injury suitable for an online consultation?
The majority of musculoskeletal injuries (joints, muscle, ligament, bone) are suitable for online Physiotherapy Consultation.
We will refer on if required for any necessary scans or specialist referral and will advise if we really do need to see you in the clinic for your problem, for example if it appears that you have a broken bone we may need you to come in to have a cast applied or a CAM/Walker boot for the ankle.
If an appointment time is shortened if we determine we do need to see you in the clinic. We will reduce the cost of the clinic consult to ensure that you are charged appropriately based on the time we have spent with you e.g if we had an online 15min consult instead of 30 minutes with you and then call you to the clinic we will minus the 15mins from your in clinic costs to compensate you.
If It is determined before the consult when you send scans through and your patient information form that the problem cannot be addressed online then if you have prepaid we will refund the consult or if you haven’t paid we will ring to advise you before your appointment time to bring you into the clinic instead.
If you are unsure whether the injury is suitable for online consultation please don’t hesitate to contact us on email and we will let you know!
Do I need a referral?
As for standard physiotherapy consults in the clinic most private clients do not need a referral if you are paying yourself.
The following will need a referral:
How does the Physiotherapist treat me if they can’t touch me?
Based on the information we gather from our discussion with you and our assessment we will have you perform we can form a likely diagnosis in most cases.
Most people are reluctant to try online consultations as they feel that they will just be given a bunch of exercises to do and no actual treatment of the area to ease their pain. Whilst we will definitately provide exercises to you each consult to continue, this is just one portion of the consult.
We are true believers in the importance of manual therapy (hands on treatment) and we are a very hands on clinic on traditional clinic appointments. We will walk you through step by step the tricks of our trade in some of the manual therapy techniques you can do for yourself which will be specific for your current presentation. We can tailor this each consult based on your assessment findings to ensure it is not just a generic stretch and self-release everything everything but may contain self-releases, joint mobilisation techniques, stretches and active releases.
Another large part of physiotherapy is educating you on your condition and identifying contributing factors from your lifestyle so that we can stop provocation and recurrence.
Of course exercise is a big component. Over the past 10 years+, mounting evidence is evolving for rehabilitation programs carried out under guidance and this is where the power of online consultations come in. Many times people are given exercises in the clinic and then say the next week that they weren’t sure if they were doing them properly. With online consultations we can touch base quickly and easily to check, adjust and modify if needed. This may not be a full long consult for treatment as well but may be a quick consult to check everything is on chat which can be a cheap option to keep everything moving in the right direction! Our software allows us to send programs and video links to exercises which are a lot better than our stick figures we usually draw in the clinic!
How to prepare for an Online Video Appointment:
At the time of your consult:
With our current video consultation program Physitrack your Physiotherapist is able to:
- Discuss your problem and any related history as we would in the clinic.
- Watch you perform some tests to assess you problem or injury concern
- Help to diagnose your problem based on the information provided and assessment. In determining the problem we can help you understand its causes, treatment and outline the expected recovery process.
- Based on your assessment findings we can guide you through some of our 'tricks of the trade'' in self-treatment techniques which we commonly use for ourselves!
- We will prescribe a specific exercise program for you to continue yourself at home and can demonstrate exercises and watch you perform exercises to ensure they are performed correctly.
- We may suggest certain exercise products which we can arrange for you to pick up at the clinic where we can have it ready for you at the door with minimal contact with us (if you are practicing social distancing) if prepaid or can have some items shipped to your house with an extra shipping fee from our wholesalers
- Our software also allows us to see what exercises you have completed and any problems you may have had. We can adjust, monitor and progress your programs to speed track your recovery.
- You can communicate via the app if you are having any troubles needing review
- You can track your own exercise performance and set reminders for yourself to complete your program
- We will continue to review via Online consults as we do in the clinic at regular intervals to help guide you through each stage of your recovery and progress your program where suitable.
Is my injury suitable for an online consultation?
The majority of musculoskeletal injuries (joints, muscle, ligament, bone) are suitable for online Physiotherapy Consultation.
We will refer on if required for any necessary scans or specialist referral and will advise if we really do need to see you in the clinic for your problem, for example if it appears that you have a broken bone we may need you to come in to have a cast applied or a CAM/Walker boot for the ankle.
If an appointment time is shortened if we determine we do need to see you in the clinic. We will reduce the cost of the clinic consult to ensure that you are charged appropriately based on the time we have spent with you e.g if we had an online 15min consult instead of 30 minutes with you and then call you to the clinic we will minus the 15mins from your in clinic costs to compensate you.
If It is determined before the consult when you send scans through and your patient information form that the problem cannot be addressed online then if you have prepaid we will refund the consult or if you haven’t paid we will ring to advise you before your appointment time to bring you into the clinic instead.
If you are unsure whether the injury is suitable for online consultation please don’t hesitate to contact us on email and we will let you know!
Do I need a referral?
As for standard physiotherapy consults in the clinic most private clients do not need a referral if you are paying yourself.
The following will need a referral:
- Medicare Chronic Care Plans (EPCs)
- As usual you will need a care plan from you GP.
- WorkCover/CTP insurance claims
- If you are new you will need to contact us to establish the claim and set it up with your insurer
- You will need a referral from your GP for physiotherapy
- We will need specific approval from the individual insurers case manager to approve use of online Video consults
- NDIS
- We only see self funded patients . In this case you pay the consult yourself and claim back . You will not need any specific referral as the NDIS do cover online consultations and will claim as usual the amount you have paid upfront to us.
How does the Physiotherapist treat me if they can’t touch me?
Based on the information we gather from our discussion with you and our assessment we will have you perform we can form a likely diagnosis in most cases.
Most people are reluctant to try online consultations as they feel that they will just be given a bunch of exercises to do and no actual treatment of the area to ease their pain. Whilst we will definitately provide exercises to you each consult to continue, this is just one portion of the consult.
We are true believers in the importance of manual therapy (hands on treatment) and we are a very hands on clinic on traditional clinic appointments. We will walk you through step by step the tricks of our trade in some of the manual therapy techniques you can do for yourself which will be specific for your current presentation. We can tailor this each consult based on your assessment findings to ensure it is not just a generic stretch and self-release everything everything but may contain self-releases, joint mobilisation techniques, stretches and active releases.
Another large part of physiotherapy is educating you on your condition and identifying contributing factors from your lifestyle so that we can stop provocation and recurrence.
Of course exercise is a big component. Over the past 10 years+, mounting evidence is evolving for rehabilitation programs carried out under guidance and this is where the power of online consultations come in. Many times people are given exercises in the clinic and then say the next week that they weren’t sure if they were doing them properly. With online consultations we can touch base quickly and easily to check, adjust and modify if needed. This may not be a full long consult for treatment as well but may be a quick consult to check everything is on chat which can be a cheap option to keep everything moving in the right direction! Our software allows us to send programs and video links to exercises which are a lot better than our stick figures we usually draw in the clinic!
How to prepare for an Online Video Appointment:
- Think about what to wear: Please ensure you dress in appropriate clothing for the areas being assessed e.g for knees wear shorts; For shoulders where a singlet or crop for females and shirt off or a singlet for men. Also preferably no stripes or dots as this makes vision less clear on the camera.
- Setting up your environment:
- What devices can you use:
- You may use a laptop, tablet or phone w a camera or a desk top w a web cam attached. The device requires a microphone so we can here you.
- Setting up your device:
- Have the device on a stable surface. A laptop works best on a table or bench top but if using a tablet or phone please have it on a stand or resting against a wall rather than in your hand so that it is stable and you are free to follow our instructions.
- We may ask you to direct the device up or down if it is not showing enough of you in the image.
- Setting up your surrounding environment:
- Seated in front of the camera usually works best to start the chat
- Have space to move around you and space to lay down if needed. If you like have a mat ready or a bed behind you to lye on which is visible in the image.
- What else do you need?
- Scans or imaging and reports: If you have any scans or imaging have them nearby to show us and if you have a report we may ask you to hold it up to the screen or to email it through to us before the consult
- If you have any equipment have them nearby for example:
- Therabands
- Balls – tennis ball or trigger point balls for self releases.
- Stretch bands
- Foam roller
- Massage devices
- A rolled towel
- A pillow
- Any weights or exercise equipment
- Any other physio devices you may have bought for home use in the past!
- We may guide you to get certain physiotherapy aids, braces or devices to help your treatment which you can order to your house or we have most things available in the clinic and this would just need a one off visit to the clinic to pick up which can be in an area awaiting pick up where you don’t have to be in proximity of any people if you have prepaid ahead to avoid contact in the current times of the Coronavirus.
- What devices can you use:
- Payment: We will call you to get payment for your consultation if we haven’t already arranged payment when you made your booking ( if you are Workcover or CTP please ensure this is informed to us before the consult as we require approval from your case manager for online consultations. Please contact us immediately if you have not told us this yet and we will call to get all the details we require. Once this is set your payments will be directed to the insurer so you don’t need to worry about this)
- Please have your phone ready for us to call and have you credit card or debit card ready to give details to us for payment prior to you appointment.
- Can you get a health fund or Medicare rebate on sessions:
- Private Health funds: Please note as this is online rebates will need to be claimed online directly with your insurer as we require a health fund card to do it on the spot and can’t do this part over the phone.
- Medicare rebates for EPC Chronic care plans: you will be sent a receipt after your payment for you to claim your rebate at mygov.com.au through Medicare online claims.
- NDIS: we only cover self-funded patients. You will be required to pay upfront before the consultation and can claim your payment back from the NDIS through your usual processes.
- Can you get a health fund or Medicare rebate on sessions:
- What to send us:
- Please email us any medical imaging reports related to your condition – both current and past if it is a recurring issue
- List of any current medications
- Your completed Initial Patient information intake form if you are a new patient
- Any referral letters from your GP or specialist
At the time of your consult:
- Be ready a few minutes before to allow yourself time to set up if this is your first time.
- An email will be sent to you with a link to connect to the video session
- Click the link and it will either connect straight to us if you are on a laptop or desktop or it may guide you to download a free app on your mobile phone or laptop if this is what you are using.
- If not previously set up, when you click the link the device may prompt you to download the free Physiapp and will ask your permission to access your camera and microphone, in doing so it may ask you to go into settings to allow to this (settings, Physiapp, allow Physiapp to access, swipe to access microphone and same for camera). It is important you give the app access to these so we can essentially hear and see you.
- If for any technical reason Physitrack/Physiapp is not working we may switch to Zoom as our platform to contact you so if this is the case then please follow the same instructions above with Zoom
