HotDoc's Telehealth Mode will allow your clinic to use Online Bookings to create a Telehealth appointment that is entered into your book.

• If both Telehealth Mode and Patient Screening is enabled, a patient going through the online booking process can be effectively screened by answering some questions. The questions are based upon the criteria required to claim a Telehealth appointment through medicare.
  
  
• If they qualify based upon their answers, they are then directed to book an applicable bulk billed or rebated telehealth appointment.
  
  
• If they do not qualify based upon their answers, they are then directed to book an alternative appointment type.
  
  

What will the Patient see?

Bulk Billing Eligibility can work independently, or alongside Patient Screening to effectively screen your patients for symptoms:

1. When both features are enabled, the patient will first see the Patient Screening questions after selecting a standard/non-telehealth appointment type:
   
   
   
   
2. After selecting I will answer truthfully, the patient will then be shown these three questions:
   
   
   
3. If the patient selects No to these questions, they will be guided to create an online booking as usual. If the patient selects Yes, they will then be shown this screen to either call the clinic or Book Telehealth Phone Consult:
   
   
   
   
4. If the patient selects Book Telehealth Phone Consult, we will then be asked to choose a new time depending on practitioner availability:
   
   
   
   
5. After selecting a time, the patient will be shown the following screen:
   
   
   
   
6. After selecting I will answer truthfully, they will be asked the following questions to be screened for their eligibility for the Medicare Rebate. These questions have been developed based upon the rebate guidelines and are updated accordingly as events arise. Depending on how they answer these questions is whether they qualify for the appointment type or will be redirected to contact the clinic:
   
   

   The questions asked are: Does the patient needing this appointment have a Medicare card? Has the patient attended an in-person consult at your clinic in the past 12 months? Are they less than 12 months old or experiencing homelessness?

   
   
7. If you also have the bulk billing eligibility screening switched on, we will continue to ask some further questions:
   
   - If the patient qualifies for a Bulk Billed Telehealth consult, they will be directed to finalise their online booking by confirming their contact details (phone and email). The appointment will then be entered as a Telehealth type into your appointment book.
   
   -If the patient does not qualify for a Bulk Billed Telehealth consult, they will be directed to either make a privately billed consult (if the type has been setup), a different appointment type available online, or contact the clinic via phone to discuss their needs further. 
   
   

   The questions asked are: Does the person needing this appointment have a Medicare card? Is the person needing this appointment 16yr of age or younger or do they have a Commonwealth Concession card (Pensioner, Health Care or Seniors Health Card)? Do they have ANY of the following symptoms: Fever, Chills, Night Sweats, Sore Throat, Cough or Shortness of Breath AND Have been in contact with a person with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19)? Do they have ANY of the following symptoms: Fever, Chills, Night Sweats, Sore Throat, Cough or Shortness of Breath AND Have also returned from overseas in the 14 days before symptoms? Are they currently in quarantine because of testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19)? Are they currently required to stay in home isolation due to recent arrival from overseas in the last 14 days or due to contact with a confirmed coronavirus case? Are they over 70 years of age? Are they over 50 years of age, and identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background? Are they currently being treated for a long term health condition such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung or respiratory condition, musculoskeletal (muscle, bones and joints) condition, cancer or similar or are they immune compromised? Is the patient pregnant, or a parent of a child under 12 months? Are they a healthcare or aged/residential care worker or staff with direct patient contact AND Have ANY of the following symptoms: Fever, Chills, Night Sweats, Sore Throat, Cough or Shortness of Breath?

   
   

   ⓘ Additional Notes On Bulk Billing Requirements

   As of October 1st, 2020, Medicare no longer require practices to bulk bill vulnerable or at-risk patients for Telehealth appointments. Please see this MBS Online Fact Sheet for more information.

8. If patient selects Yes, to any of the above screening questions (except for question 6), they will be asked to verify their contact number and email address. If the pre-populated information is not correct, they can update it in these fields:
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. After confirming their details, they will be asked to verify their appointment information one last time:
   
   
   
   
10. After selecting Yes, book now, if the patient is successful in making the booking, they will see the following in their Appointments section:
    
    
    
    
11. Once confirmed we will write the contact details of the patient as well as a summary of their answers to the questions into your appointment book: