Coronavirus is everyones biggest concern, but it does not mean we will not develop other health problems, such as gastro, appendicitis or injuries. We still need to see the doctor, but at the same time we do not want to expose ourselves to coronavirus, by going out. As a result, doctors have been encouraged to use Telehealth, (Telehealth is where you see a doctor via something like Skype or Facetime). Now you can see your GP by Telehealth under Medicare. As a family physician, I have been using Telehealth for many years. It will never take over from seeing a doctor face to face, but we can achieve a lot using a video consultation. As a doctor I need to gather a lot of information to work out what is wrong with you. If you can give me that information, I can perform a safer consultation via a video. If you have the right tools in your house, you can give me the information that I need and reduce the chance of missing something nasty. These tools have been around for many years and are not high tech. This week, we have created a special edition newsletter to highlight what tools can be used to help your doctor make a safe diagnosis. As mentioned before in this blog, these gadgets should be part of everyones first aid kit, to allow you to always see a doctor from the comfort of your own home, safe from the coronavirus. Online Health ServicesWhether you have the right equipment or not, there are many health services that you can access online. You can see a GP, get a blood test or even an STI check. Click on the button below for more information. For Clinic OwnersIf you are a clinic owner who is setting up a Telehealth service, please click on the link below and cut and paste the URL into an email or sms to be sent to your patients.
You can improve the quality of your Telehealth assessments by informing your patient population how to provide data that can help you make a diagnosis. Please note that your patients will need to be consented to receive communication via this process - Spam Act 2003)
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Pollution And Your BreathingWe are seeing poor air quality in major cities in the world this week. Delhi in India has been struggling with high levels of pollutants. In addition recent bushfires in New South Wales have lead to poor air quality in Sydney, Australia. This can have an impact on people who suffer from lung conditions. A good article by the British Lung Foundation, can be found here. It looks at the effects of pollution on your health. Also have a look at Atmotube Pro, a product that you can use to monitor the air surrounding you, to work out if it is safe to go out. Concussion In SportWith improved diets and training regimes and the use of cutting edge research in sports science, the performance of elite level athletes has markedly improved. Today your NFL, AFL or rugby players are stronger, more agile and fitter than ever before. As a result, in these contact sports, individuals are taking harder impacts to the body and in particular to the head. Slowly we are becoming aware of concussion and its long term effects, (eg memory problems, sleep disturbance and depression). As a result the way we look after someone who has been concussed is becoming better understood.
If you play a sport professionally, you are often surrounded by a team of experts who will monitor every aspect of your health, including a doctor who can make sure that you recover from a concussion. The problem is, if you enjoy sport but do not play for a professional team, you may not get the right treatment, if you become concussed. This can lead to you returning to your sport too early and putting you at risk of further health issues later in life. A useful tool has been developed to help amateur athletes or weekend warriors if they sustain a head injury is ImPACT. How does this work? You perform a test, when you are well that measures different functions of your brain. Should you sustain a head injury, you repeat the test under the guidance of a doctor, to work out the effects of the head injury on your brain. With this information, your doctor can then provide guidance about when you can return to playing the sport that you love. This tool is already being used by professional sports teams, today. For more information, click here Blog post written by Dr Khurram Akhter. Khurram is an experienced primary care physician and a thought leader in the field of digital health. Disclaimer: This text does not serve as medical advice or an endorsement of a particular product but serves as an example of how technology can improve healthcare. If you have any questions, seek advice from your doctor. Asthma is common. It can make you pretty sick and limit your ability to work, exercise or do daily activities. Colds and other lung problems can cause your asthma to worsen rapidly, so it is important to know that your asthma is well controlled and be able to identify when things are going wrong. Background A bit of background on asthma. Imagine you have a series of pipes in the lungs that enable air to travel in and out. With asthma, things like dust, pollen, viruses or exercise can make those pipes become narrow, preventing as much air from travelling in and out. You will then develop symptoms of shortness of breath, wheezing or a cough. As you can imagine a severe attack can make you very unwell, as you cannot breathe. Emergencies When diagnosed with a long term health condition, it is important to know what to do in the worst case scenario. How to recognise a problem, how to act and when to call for help. It is vital that you learn this or be able to access the necessary information quickly. Downloading the Australian Red Cross First Aid app on your phone will give you a resource that you can refer to whenever you need. (Remember if in doubt, call the emergency services). Avoiding Triggers Of Your Asthma Understanding your environment is important if your asthma is triggered off by pollen or pollutants. Having data that tells you that the air quality is poor may remind you to take your inhaler just in case. Or maybe you should take the train today rather than cycle. An air pollution monitor can provide valuable insights into whether your asthma may be triggered today or not. Tools To Identify If Your Asthma Is Worsening
Knowing how to identify a problem early before it makes your asthma worsen is vital. You can do this by having the right tools at home that can give you clear information on the health of your lungs or signs of infection. Oxygen monitors, thermometers, digital stethoscopes and blood pressure machines should be part of your new first aid kit. They will give you key information as to whether you need to see a doctor or not. In addition, if you access an online GP, the information these tools provide will enable the doctor to provide a safe and thorough assessment. As a result, you can seek medical advice quickly at a time and place that is convenient to you. Our list of favourites is not exhaustive and we encourage you to look at other products on the website and see what else may be of use. What we are aiming to achieve at HealthAide is that you are able to make an informed decision when considering what else can keep you healthy. New products and services are coming out that will help you manage your asthma and access healthcare quickly. As technology develops so will your ability to reduce the impact of any health issue on the quality of your life. Blog post written by Dr Khurram Akhter. Khurram is an experienced primary care physician and a thought leader in the field of digital health. Disclaimer: This text does not serve as medical advice and if you have any questions, seek advice from your doctor. |
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