Ella Smith, 15 June 2020

The mental health crisis expected after the Coronavirus pandemic has ignited discussion over the role of digital options for psychological services.

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Digihealth use has grown substantially during Coronavirus – Medicare-subsidised telehealth consultations were expanded, crisis hotlines recorded increased traffic, downloads of smartphone apps surged.

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Health Minister Greg Hunt recently announced the federal government’s intention to continue expanded access to telehealth services after the pandemic ends.  

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This comes as over 230,000 Medicare items for phone or video psychologist consultations were lodged in April, while in-person consultations fell.

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Dr Sally Bradford, clinical psychologist and board member of the Australian Psychological Society, expects these figures to grow as Australia’s mental health worsens.

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“If [the government] continues to allow telehealth under Medicare then I think we'll see a much greater uptake.”

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“Certainly, there are going to be some significant issues until everyone gets back on their feet and that's [going to be] a really long time,” she said.

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But she says there are limits to digital options.

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“There's really only so far that digital health can go.”

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“Consideration must be given to whether the presenting issue is suitably treated via Telehealth or face-to-face services are more appropriate.”

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Dr Sebastian Rosenberg from the Brain and Mind Centre agrees that there are more questions than answers when it comes to ‘digihealth’.

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“What role should they play, for whom, when, and how should they connect to face-to-face services as required?”

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He believes that Covid-19 has [invited] a much-needed reassessment of mental health treatment.

 

“[Digihealth is] a vital, integral part of the future. There’s no way we can go back to simple, single, face-to-face health professional consultations. We won’t meet the demand, and we won’t be able to structure across a stepped care arrangement.”

 

Dr Rosenberg suggests that digital options will become a central aspect of mental health services in the future, especially in self-management and multidisciplinary care.

 

But he says the current system is flawed.

 

“Telehealth and digital mental health services have developed in Australia in a very organic fashion.”

 

“There’s no framework, there’s been no structure, there are no standards, there is no accountability.”

 

These shortfalls include the telehealth service, which since its introduction in 2017 has never had its efficacy in providing mental healthcare for rural Australians assessed. It’s a similar story for crisis hotlines.

 

“If people are phoning crisis hotlines, what have we done to get them to this point?” says Dr Rosenberg.