On Tuesday, March 11th, Rural Women New Zealand hosted a webinar titled “Introduction to Telehealth.”
The session featured renowned telehealth experts Dr. Ruth Large and Jenni Falconer, CEO of Emergency Consult, whose organization provides telehealth services. This webinar was generously supported by My Health Hub.
As telehealth becomes an increasingly common method of delivering healthcare, it is important to inform those who may wish to access these services or encourage others to do so.
Dr Ruth Large provided an overview of telehealth, highlighting various services that now offer it, such as speech-language therapy, mental health support, consultations with GPs and Nurse Practitioners, and hospital consultations. She explained how telehealth enables patients to receive medical advice remotely, including prescriptions sent to the nearest pharmacy for next-day pickup.
Jenni Falconer discussed the different ways telehealth services can be accessed and emphasized that it is a nationwide service. Patients can connect via phone or video. When calling, a Kaiawhina may initially answer, take details, and refer the caller to a Nurse Practitioner. If further assistance is needed, the case is escalated to a GP. The process is simple and convenient, making healthcare accessible even in the early hours of the morning.
The benefits of telehealth include reduced travel, faster access to appropriate care, and clear guidance on whether to stay at home, seek medical attention within hours, or require immediate hospital transfer. However, a major challenge is poor connectivity, which can impact consultation quality.
The audience included healthcare professionals supporting both rural and urban communities, members of the public, and paid and volunteer workers engaged in rural support services.
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Comments included:
