Use of telehealth mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, specific mental health telehealth services in Australia have been an important source of help for the increasingly stressed population. This study examined trends in the uptake of telehealth items for mental health during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic using administrative Medicare data. During the peak of the pandemic there was a 50% reduction in the in-person consultations for mental health but also a substantial increase in uptake largely of the newly introduced temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule telehealth services. Further, the use of telehealth varied across age, gender and state/territory. These findings have important implications for the allocation of resources for telehealth, both now, and into the post-COVID-19 era.