Health services go mobile

A new website and smartphone application enables users to find their nearest doctor, after-hours pharmacy, hospital and emergency department in towns and cities across Australia, federal health minister Tanya Pilbersek announced yesterday.

The government spent $4.9 million developing the National Health Services Directory at www.nhsd.com.au, which enables users to search for the addresses, phone numbers and opening times of health services, particularly when they are in an unfamiliar area.

The public can use a web-connected PC or download the app onto an Apple iPhone or Android device. Once a location is entered into the directory, services are listed and their locations can be viewed on Google Maps, making them easy to find.

The directory contains around 14,000 service records which have been checked for accuracy by the government’s new primary care network of Medicare Locals, minister Pilbersek said in a statement.

“This directory will be expanded over the next 12 months to include more detailed information and cover more types of health services, such as allied health providers,” Pilbersek said.

“Information such as languages spoken, whether they bulk bill, whether new patients are accepted and prerequisites/referral criteria will also be included.”

The directory was developed by the Council of Australian Governments and is being managed by the National Health Call Centre Network.