In Australia, virtual healthcare has traditionally been viewed as a way of enhancing access to care for people living in rural and remote communities.
COVID-19 has created opportunities to change the Australian health care system for the better. For example, new MBS rebates for virtual health care. However, for changes to be of any real value to patients, service providers and the system, they will need to be embedded for the long term; and low value activities, which we have stopped, will need to be identified and not resumed.
Understanding what matters to people, and how the Australian health care system can respond through virtual health care is a good place to start.