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Telehealth is here to stay: Is your indemnity keeping up?
SPONSORED: As telehealth becomes standard practice, understanding cover across all consultation types protects you and your patients.
Telehealth is no longer an alternative to traditional practice, it’s an integral part of delivering accessible, patient-centred care.
Telehealth has firmly established itself in modern general practice.
Whether you’re providing video consultations to rural patients, phone follow-ups for chronic disease management, or managing asynchronous telehealth requests where you have an existing clinical relationship, you need cover that matches how you actually work.
The integration of telehealth into everyday healthcare delivery means practitioners must consider cover across diverse consultation scenarios.
From managing established patients remotely to coordinating care across distances, your indemnity needs to reflect the full scope of practice.
What the guidelines expect
The Medical Board of Australia’s guidelines for telehealth consultations outline clear expectations for safe, appropriate telehealth use. They include practical considerations such as:
- introducing yourself and your role to the patient
- checking the patient’s identity
- ensuring the consultation space is private and the technology is reliable
- documenting that telehealth was used and the type of technology used
- checking patients understand how to use the technology (including responding to technology failure)
- checking patients understand the limitations of telehealth, including alternatives and the possible need for in-person follow-up.
The Board emphasises that telehealth should not routinely replace in-person care, particularly noting its value in rural and remote settings while maintaining that face-to-face consultations remain essential in many circumstances.
Importantly, the Board states it does not support prescribing or providing healthcare if you’ve never had a real-time conversation (in-person, video, or telephone) with the patient.
The Board specifically does not support asynchronous medication requests via text, email or online questionnaires when you’ve never spoken with the patient.
Cover that reflects real practice
Your indemnity needs to cover the full spectrum of how you deliver care.
The Medical Indemnity Protection Society (MIPS) provides comprehensive telehealth cover, including asynchronous consultations where there’s a pre-existing clinical relationship (either with you directly or your practice), where you can interact with or follow up the patient in real time, or where we’ve agreed to cover it in writing.
This cover recognises that modern practice involves various consultation methods, each with specific requirements.
Whether you’re conducting synchronous video consultations, telephone follow-ups, or managing asynchronous requests through secure patient platforms, your indemnity should match your practice patterns.
Geographic cover you can rely on
You’re covered for civil liability when telehealth occurs and:
- Both you and the patient are in Australia
- You’re temporarily outside Australia (less than 120 days aggregate during the period of insurance) and the patient is in Australia
- The patient has been outside Australia for less than 90 days and you’re in Australia
- Neither you nor the patient are in the USA or anywhere US law applies
If you’re outside Australia providing telehealth to Australian patients, you must maintain Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency registration and comply with any overseas registration and professional indemnity requirements.
Protection built for your practice
When you’re managing complex patients across multiple consultation types, you need indemnity insurance that works as hard as you do:
- Comprehensive indemnity insurance cover of up to $20 million
- 24/7 medico-legal support and advice
- Accredited risk management and education resources including webinars, available on-demand
Get the certainty you deserve
Telehealth is no longer an alternative to traditional practice, it’s an integral part of delivering accessible, patient-centred care. Make sure your indemnity cover reflects this reality.
When you’re considering your indemnity options, MIPS offers telehealth protection designed for how GPs actually practise.
Visit the
MIPS website for a quote and discover how comprehensive telehealth protection gives you confidence in every consultation.
About MIPS
MIPS is a member-owned mutual that exists to support healthcare professionals across Australia with comprehensive medical indemnity protection.
Disclaimer:
Medical Indemnity Protection Society ABN 64 007 067 281 | AFSL 301912
All information on this page is of a general nature only and is not intended to be relied upon as, nor to be a substitute for, specific legal or other professional advice. No responsibility for the loss occasioned to any person acting on or refraining from action as a result of any material published can or will be accepted by MIPS.
You should seek legal or other professional advice before relying on any content, and practise proper clinical decision making with regard to the individual circumstances.
Information is only current at the date initially published.
If in doubt, contact our claims and 24-hour medico-legal advice and support team on 1300 698 573.
You should consider the appropriateness of the information and read the Member Handbook, Combined PDS and FSG before making a decision on whether to join MIPS
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