Video Call
About healthdirect Video Call
The healthdirect Video Call service is a safe, secure, scalable and sustainable model that is simple and convenient for clinicians and patients to use. It connects people to healthcare services by overcoming the barriers of distance, time and cost.
Video Call is customisable to meet the unique needs of health organisations and professionals in primary and tertiary care settings including virtual emergency departments, with bespoke virtual clinics options and tailored waiting areas.
Jurisdictional usage
healthdirect Video Call is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, Department of Defence, Department of Veterans' Affairs, NSW Health, NT Health, SA Health, VIC Health and WA Health.
It is integrated as core safe and secure digital infrastructure across (LHDs) in many states, including for usage in hospital, specialist and virtual emergency settings.
Primary healthcare and allied services
We work with the Australian Government and Primary Health Networks (PHNs) to integrate healthdirect Video Call programs into primary healthcare services.
Video Call is provided without cost to general practices, Aboriginal Medical Services (AMS) and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs).
Health professionals who work in aged care, allied health, Indigenous health, maternity, paediatrics and child health and mental health services are also eligible for Video Call to be integrated into their practices. Eligibility criteria may be adjusted in response to program reviews.
Visit the healthdirect Video Call FAQs page for more information.
Please register your interest in a licence here.
What sets healthdirect Video Call apart from other video consultation platforms?
Security and data governance
The healthdirect Video Call service has achieved a Maturity Level Two Essential 8 assessment which is industry recognition of the highest level of privacy and security. This military grade level of security ensures patients and clinicians can trust our platform.
- The healthdirect Video Call service follows the applicable Australian Government Information Security Manual (ISM) for cyber security guidelines and safeguards privacy as well as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 1996 by leaving no digital footprint.
- healthdirect Video Call does not store patient or call data, and the technology underpinning the service is developed and maintained in Australia.
Purpose-built for health
- The healthdirect Video Call service is designed for clinician to patient consultation. It mirrors a visit to a physical clinic, making it easy to adopt by patients, clinicians and administrators.
- Many video consultation platforms are designed for social or business purposes, whereas healthdirect Video Call is purpose-built for clinical workflows and settings, integrating the operational and clinical applications that are critical to delivering safe, efficient and sustainable virtual care.
Clinical benefits
- Efficiency: Video Call integrates into practice workflows, extending day-to-day clinical services online.
- Flexibility: health professionals can schedule work to suit their lifestyle, taking consultations from any location with a good internet connection (4G/5G/Satellite).
- Cost: save travel time and room hire expenses when working remotely.
- Coverage: offer services to a wider network of patients.
Patient benefits
- Access: access quality healthcare without having to travel. This is helpful for people living in rural and remote communities and for vulnerable patients who may have underlying health conditions or experience greater risks from travelling or attending in-person consultations.
- Continuity of care: outpatient follow-up appointments are easy with simple patient to clinician access.
- Holistic health: members of a patient's multi-disciplinary team can join a video call consultation, which can support more holistic management of care.
- Confidence: secure, ease-to-use and a reliable system built for primary and tertiary health consultations.
For more information
If you are interested in more information regarding the healthdirect Video Call service, please contact our team at videocallsupport@healthdirect.org.au or call 1800 580 771.
How Video Call works
The healthdirect Video Call service was purpose-built for use in a health setting with features designed to make it a simple experience for patients and clinicians, as well as enhance the clinical information that can be gathered during the consultation.
The experience for both clinician and patient is designed to follow the process of attending a traditional appointment — patients check in to announce their arrival, wait in a virtual waiting room for the clinician and then the consultation begins when the clinician joins them.
healthdirect Video Call includes a multi-way video consulting capability, making it easy to include health specialists, translators, carers and family members who are in other locations.
Clinicians, patients and other participants can access Video Call on any modern device and internet browser. It is a wholly secure environment which leaves no digital footprint from any participants.
The Healthdirect Australia support team works with each healthcare organisation to integrate the service into its existing systems to maintain coordinated management of patient flow.