Consultation - Statement on Telehealth
Telehealth is a rapidly evolving area of practice. We recognise that telehealth consultations can increase patient access to health care services and contribute to supporting more equitable health outcomes. There are also several matters that need to be taken into consideration when providing telehealth consultations.
Our statement on Telehealth was last updated in October 2020. The focus at that time was on changes to facilitate prescribing in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The current review is more comprehensive and aims to ensure our statement remains fit for purpose and is enabling.
Our draft updated statement has several amendments to reflect changing models of care and situations where patients may not have a regular GP or are unable to access traditional primary care. We have added a new section about the responsibility of a doctor providing telehealth to facilitate continuity of care. Underpinning the statement is our expectation that all our existing standards apply to doctors providing telehealth.
Our aim is to develop a statement that is clear, informative and enables the potential benefits of telehealth while ensuring the health and safety of the public. To assist us achieve this aim, we invite your feedback. You can access further information about our consultation and other related documents at these links:
- Consultation paper and questions: Review of our statement on Telehealth [RTF, 778 KB]
- Updated draft statement on Telehealth [PDF, 321 KB]
- Existing October 2020 statement on Telehealth [PDF, 57 KB].
Your input is important to us. Please respond to the questions in the consultation paper using this online form . Alternatively, you can email your submission to sconsultation@mcnz.org.nz.
We look forward to receiving your feedback. The consultation closes on 12 June 2023.