How many services were provided via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic
During the course of the pandemic the Australian Government introduced changes to the MBS to support the provision of care via telehealth, to help reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19 and provide protection for both patients and health care providers. New items added include telehealth mental health services provided by GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists and other allied health workers.
Almost 1 in 3 services (4.2 million, 31%) were provided via telehealth (phone or video) in 2021–22. Psychiatrists and psychologists provided a higher proportion of Medicare-subsidised mental health-specific services via telehealth than other types of providers (37% and 36% respectively), and GPs provided the lowest proportion (18%). More detail about the use of telehealth services during the pandemic, can be found in the Mental health services activity monitoring quarterly data.
Use of services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Analyses of the Medicare-subsidised mental health-specific services by quarter have been included to show seasonal variations in service use, and provide more insight into the impact of events such as the pandemic. These include service and person counts reported by provider type, age group and sex.
From 2012–13 to 2019–20 the number of Medicare-subsidised mental health-specific services being delivered was consistently highest in the April–June period and lowest in the October–December period (Refer to table MBS.22 for detail). Note that reduced service usage is typical during public holidays and particularly over the Christmas/New Year period.
In 2019–20, an unseasonably low number of people used services in April–June (1.2 million), likely due to the impact of the pandemic lockdown periods. However, a relatively high number of services were still used (3.2 million), meaning more services were used per person in April–June (2.7) than in other quarters (2.4).
Providers show different patterns of activity over the year. Psychologists provide services to a relatively stable number of patients, while GPs and psychiatrists showed more seasonal variations.
In 2020–21, the number of people who used services was consistent with the pattern for previous years, while in 2021–22, the number of people who used services was almost 1.3 million in the April–June quarter with almost 3.6 million services used. This represents an increase over 2019–20 but a decrease from 2020–21.
In 2020–21 the number of Medicare-subsidised mental health-specific services peaked in the July–September period (almost 3.6 million). The number of services was lower in January–March for all services apart from GPs (0.6 million for psychiatrists, 0.7 million for clinical psychologists, 0.9 million for other psychologists and 0.1 million for other allied health providers). For GPs the number of services was lowest in April–June (almost 1 million).
The number of services peaked in the July–September period at almost 3.7 million in 2021–22. The number of services was lower in January–March for all services apart from GPs (0.6 million for psychiatrists, 0.7 million for clinical psychologists, 0.8 million for other psychologists and 0.1 million for other allied health providers). For GPs the number of patients accessing services was lowest in April–June (almost 0.9 million).