Health System Sustainability

The Centre for Health Services Research is conducting the research for the Telehealth stream as part of the NHMRC Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability (PCHSS). The PCHSS is a national Australian research collaboration exploring mechanisms to improve the sustainability of the Australian healthcare system. In the Telehealth research stream three questions have been proposed, which will be answered over the five-year grant period.

Focus questions

1. How can the use of telehealth improve access, reduce costs and improve outcomes, in particular, in regard to the use of online interactions using images, data, text and real-time voice to inform clinical decision-making and the management of chronic disease?
2. What service models can best exploit the evolving, increasingly low-cost infrastructure?
3. How can primary care be re-engineered to exploit the various forms of telehealth to improve accessibility, reduce cost and increase patient engagement and self-management?

Anticipated impact

Implications for the future configuration of primary care practice in Australia in a telehealth-enabled world. Potential to improve patient convenience, engagements, satisfaction and health status at a reduced cost to the health system.

Example outputs

• Why telehealth doesn't always save money for the health system
• Economic evaluations of remote patient monitoring for chronic disease: a systematic review
• Quantifying the Societal Benefits From Telehealth: Productivity and Reduced Travel
• How have temporary Medicare telehealth item numbers impacted the use of dietetics services in primary care settings?
• Increase in telemental health services on the Medicare Benefits Schedule after the start of the coronavirus pandemic: data from 2019 to 2021
• Determining if Telehealth Can Reduce Health System Costs: Scoping Review
• International Remote Patient Monitoring Programs
• The impact of telehealth financial incentives on telehealth service uptake in Australia
• Quick guides for telehealth
• The breakeven point for implementing telehealth

For more information visit the Health System Sustainability website.