Software company Medical-Director’s move into the consumer space will see it push out several new apps this year, including a teleconsult app for patients.
The medical software, research and information company recently launched a self check-in kiosk developed with patient flow technology provider Jayex.
It’s also building an app to allow patients to book appointments online, track prescriptions and potentially integrate personal health data from fitness and health tracking apps and devices into their clinical records.
MedicalDirector chief executive Phil Offer said the applications in development were designed to meet patient needs. “We are looking at how we can harness the platforms that consumers have available and how we can use that to really grow the doctor/patient relationship.’’
MedicalDirector, formerly known as Health Communication Network, has developed a suite of software programs and information for clinicians and practice managers. It is used by more than 64,000 health professionals across Australia.
The teleconsult app, expected to be launched in the second half of this year, allows patients to book a phone appointment with their own GP or specialist.
Mr Offer said the app was designed to provide continuity of care to patients.
“It is trying to solve that sort of problem where it is quite hard to reach the doctor sometimes and you are not sure whether to come in or you are not sure about some of the instructions that you had to follow,’’ he said.
A patient could register for an appointment and their doctor would have the ability to flag their availability for a call.
“It is not there to sort of really replace a detailed physical examination, it is just to help with being a bit more efficient with some of their follow-up queries,’’ Mr Offer said.
“The timing is good because the government has recently changed how it does after-hours care and it is putting more incentives down for doctors to do that.’’
The app would also allow, if need be, parts of the conversation to be imported into the patient’s record.
Mr Offer said the app was currently being tested by doctors.
“We envisage that the payment will be on a pay-as-you-go basis. We are just finalising that sort of process,’’ he said.
MedicalDirector launched online appointments earlier this year and was now developing an application.
“We have got the online appointments engine already working so that one is in development and the second half of the year is when we expect to launch that,’’ Mr Offer said.
MedicalDirector was aiming the self check-in kiosks, which allow a patient to check themselves in for an appointment to free up reception staff, at large metropolitan clinics.
“We have got over 17,000 users in the GP space that we sort of target to,’’ Mr Offer said. “We are in the early stages of rolling out the kiosks but we see that as a really good market for the larger-sized practices.’’
Source: The Australian