Virtual consults is the latest functionality to go live on Webtools’ Centrik platform, launching in February to national online casual GP service HouseCall. The new functionality enables virtual GP appointments, the first step in growing virtual healthcare services!

Centrik virtual consults allow a casual patient from anywhere in the country to select, book, and pay for an online HouseCall appointment with a registered Aotearoa-based doctor.

When a patient books a virtual consult, the appointment is created in the practice management system (PMS) via Medtech’s ALEX® (Application Layer EXchange) platform. If the patient is not currently in the PMS, as is the case for most casual bookings, a new patient record is created.

Joining the virtual consult is frictionless for both practitioner and patient. Practitioners can access the consultation via a link in the appointment notes field in the PMS or, alternatively, from a link in the Centrik web console appointment list. All that practices need to join the virtual consult from any device is access to a camera, microphone, and web browser.

For an online service like HouseCall patients expect the experience to be easy, quick, and seamless. On average 70% of patients use their mobile to have the consult, they can also join from a desktop or tablet using a link provided in the appointment confirmation email.

As is the norm for these kinds of services, payment for the appointment is collected up front at the point of booking. It’s a seamless experience for patients and reduces admin and additional reconciliation for the virtual care team.

Dr Kim Hurst is the Virtual Care Lead for Green Cross Health and GP Lead at The Doctors Whakatipu medical centre, and runs the HouseCall team and service.

Dr Hurst describes the new platform as, “Exactly the sort of experience that our patients expect, and that our practitioners have been waiting for. It provides easy-to-use, reliable, quality connectivity with the option to configure the device you choose to connect with, and robust browser interoperability.”

“Basically, I feel much more confident as a practitioner delivering a virtual consult with this platform. I look forward to being able to use it in my practice as well as through our HouseCall service.”

Virtual consultations is currently live with HouseCall as a dedicated virtual service. Practices choosing to offer virtual consultations will have this as an appointment booking option in Centrik’s consumer health apps from next month.

The HouseCall service is backed by Green Cross Health and The Doctors medical centres. At the end of 2022, Webtools and Green Cross Health announced an innovation partnership to develop and rollout The Doctors App to all patients across their network of 60 medical centres. With both The Doctors App and HouseCall online GP service powered by the Centrik platform, Webtools and Green Cross Health are already making massive strides towards achieving their vision of a fully integrated ecosystem of care and providing better access to healthcare in New Zealand.

For more information contact:
Bridget Holland
Webtools
+64 276 346 732
bridget.holland@webtools.co.nz