MORE work needs to be done to improve health literacy in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Rural Health Alliance.
NRHA chief executive officer Gabrielle O'Kane said health literacy was about people's ability to access, interpret and use information relating to health and health care.
"This is important all the time but especially in the face of COVID-19, when there is so much information being circulated and people are being required to take drastic steps to alter their behaviour," she said.
"Rural areas in Australia often have slightly lower levels of health literacy as well.
"Public communication needs to take this into account and recognise that different messages and platforms might be needed in rural areas as opposed to the cities."
Dr O'Kane said that digital health literacy was becoming increasingly important, as the population moves rapidly to take up telehealth.
"We've all had to embrace telehealth a lot quicker than we thought we would.
"This brings with it the need to ensure that practitioners and consumers have the skills and confidence they need to use these services.
"The Alliance's pre-budget submission contains several positive measures that would improve digital health literacy in rural Australia and we call on the Australian government to take them up."
Among the suggestions are a Rural Community Digital Health Literacy Training Program, which would deliver digital skills programs to older Australians, and the Rural Digital Health Scholarship and Bursary Program, which would provide scholarships and bursaries to help rural health professionals develop skills and knowledge in digital health technology.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners say more work has to be done to encourage patients to embrace teleheath and telehone consultations with their GP.
Two weeks ago the federal government announced the expansion of Medicare-subsidised telehealth and telephone services for all Australians to help combat COVID-19.
It now applies to GP services and some consultation services provided by other medical specialists, nurse practitioners, mental health treatment, chronic disease management, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments, services to people with eating disorders, pregnancy support counselling, services to patients in aged care facilities, children with autism, and after-hours consultations.
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But reports are surfacing that some patients are avoiding consultations because they do not feel comfortable using new technology, such as video conferencing.
RACGP president Harry Nespolon said it was important for all patients to take up telehealth and telehealth consultations.
"The reason the RACGP has been pushing so hard for subsidised telephone consultations is that it is a technology that everyone has and will help limit the spread of COVID-19," he said.
"It's important to emphasise to all patients that the MBS item does apply for telephone consultations, not just Skype, Zoom and FaceTime and the like.
"We can't have the public or GPs think that this MBS item is limited to video consultations; an old-fashioned phone will do just fine.
"General practice is the first port of call for people when it comes to their health and plays an essential role in helping patients with chronic conditions and in preventative healthcare.
"It's important that this doesn't change and that people realise that telehealth and telephone consultations actually make it easier for patients to access their GP and get the same quality care for a wide range of concerns."
Dr Nespolon said that tackling COVID-19 required adjustments that would save lives.
"I am mindful that many GPs may not have not participated in telehealth video consultations or telephone consultations before. Practices should do their best to adapt and implement these changes in a way that works for them
"The reason we have been pushing so hard for the telehealth and telephone consultation expansion is because GPs on the frontline battling COVID-19 know that it will make a real difference in limiting the spread of the virus.
"So we need to get this right and that includes being 100 per cent technologically agnostic on how patients speak to their GP."
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