Australian digital health group 1st Group Limited (ASX: 1ST) has launched a new COVID-19 directory service making it easier for patients to find healthcare services offering specific COVID-19 services.
Managing Director and Co-Founder Klaus Bartosch said this includes the recent government COVID-19 pop-up clinics, GP’s, Psychologists, Telehealth providers and others.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is proving challenging for all Australians and healthcare providers,” Mr Bartosch said.
“By consolidating all services in one convenient website directory we are doing our bit to assist consumers who are otherwise scrambling to try and find services and information online.
“Until now, to find these clinics and services you needed to visit multiple government and hospital websites, private practice and other websites.
It is confusing, frustrating and almost completely impossible for Australians to find what they want easily, quickly and reliably at this very difficult time.”
The new directory service is powered by the MyHealth1st platform which already supports over 11,000 healthcare business across Australia, including pharmacy chains like Priceline, TerryWhite Chemmart, Amcal, government agencies, mental health services businesses like employee assistance provider Benestar Group, Psychologists, GP’s, Dentists, Optometrists, Hospitals, Specialists and Allied Services.
Mr Bartosch said Healthcare practices that use the MyHealth1st platform now also have access to sophisticated COVID-19 online patient screening functionality including alerts to the practice of patients they may be at risk.
Australians who visit the MyHealth1st powered CoronaVirusClinics.com.au website will also be able to find, search and book appointments with the other healthcare services that are already listed on the MyHealth1st.com.au directory such as Dentists and Optometrists.
The healthcare industry has sprung into action supported by government. New services like e-Prescriptions, Telehealth and COVID19 clinics are being fast tracked and new Medicare benefits are being announced almost every day. The problem for consumers is “how do I find these services?”.
“Google search just isn’t cutting it, and there are now a myriad of state and national government websites that contain only some of this information,” Mr Bartosch said.
We are making it our mission to help in these difficult times. Our own team members are now home based. This is working well for our business.
“This week we released new critical updates to our MyHealth1st platform providing our customers with sophisticated COVID-19 online appointment patient screening and education tools via Health Hub on the platform.
“We continue to apply our minds and technology to the different ways that we can help albeit without government assistance but that would be welcomed!
“We expect this new directory service may dramatically increase the traffic to our website, as such we have prepared ourselves for the increase in demand,” Mr Bartosch said.
