Chronic Pain Australia has called on the government to make bulk-billed telehealth a long-term solution for chronic pain suffers during National Pain Week 2021.

The announcement comes after a national pain survey found 67 per cent of respondents benefited from a pandemic pivot to telehealth.

The National Pain Survey, which marks the start of National Pain Week, surveyed over 2233 people living with chronic pain and found telehealth gave respondents better access to health practitioners.

Respondents mentioned that they no longer had to miss a GP or other specialist appointment because they could not drive due to pain, distance, and costs associated with travel.

Over half of respondents said they would consider using telehealth options with their health practitioner in an ongoing capacity if they were available.

Most of the respondents mentioned benefits such as having appointments when they were experiencing pain, not having to travel and being able to rest instead of leaving the house for appointments.

Other than their GP, respondents accessed a range of health professionals using telehealth, including physiotherapists (10%), pain specialists (22%), psychologists (20%) and psychiatrists (8%).

Surprisingly, barriers to telehealth did not include technology, with 85 per cent reporting they had a good internet connection and 82 per cent saying they had the technology they needed to engage with their practitioner.

Instead, barriers included lack of healthcare providers offering telehealth consultations or their unsuitability to some types of physical therapy, such as acupuncture, massage and physiotherapy.

Alexandra Hordern, President of Chronic Pain Australia, says the pivot to telehealth is one positive that came out of the pandemic and should be implemented long-term.

“It is wonderful to see an unexpected silver lining emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“3.4 million Australians live with some form of chronic pain, and this simple change could help them better access the medical treatment they need to manage their pain.

“We urge governments to consider making bulk-billed telehealth appointments available long-term,” says Ms Hordern.

Senior physiotherapist Dr Tania Gardner, an online pain management facilitator, says telehealth is critical for chronic pain conditions, and COVID-19 has only exacerbated access for many.

“Access to multidisciplinary pain programs and physiotherapists specialising in chronic pain is limited at the best of times.

“Attendance to clinics can often be limited by family and work commitments or psychological or physical disabilities. This lack of access is heightened in rural and regional areas.

“COVID-19 has added an even heavier burden on health resources with many multidisciplinary programs and clinics limiting face-to-face consultations, blowing out existing long waiting lists even further.

“Telehealth provides a safe and accessible alternative and during COVID-19 is an even more important choice to offer to patients who live with chronic pain.”

The loss of telehealth would be detrimental to both patients with chronic pain and the primary care clinicians who treat them, explains Dr Gardner. 

“As a physiotherapist who has used telehealth for a decade, I can advocate for the positive experiences both clinicians and patients gain from being able to provide care to those who need it.

“The loss of telehealth would reduce access and increase existing long waiting lists for specialty services placing a further burden on primary care clinicians.

“In the end, it leaves the person with chronic pain distanced from the help they need.”