New app helps you locate a doctor wherever you are

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6 December 2012

A summer holiday with a child who falls ill can make even the most relaxed parent groan. But a new website and smartphone app now shows you the way to the nearest GP or after-hours pharmacy with just a few taps on a screen.

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today launched a $4.9 million internet directory which shows the addresses, opening times and phone numbers of GP clinics, pharmacies, emergency departments and hospitals in towns and cities across Australia.

Ms Plibersek said the National Health Services Directory was a free service developed to provide patients accurate information about local health services wherever they are, whenever they want.

“Every parent knows that a trip to the doctor or the emergency department is much more difficult when you’re not familiar with the area or need to find help in the evening,” said Ms Plibersek.

“This new internet directory is easy to use and will save people who need fast access to medical care an enormous amount of time and trouble.”

Patients can search the directory using a computer or by downloading the app onto an iPhone or Android device. Once a location is entered into the directory, services are listed and their locations can be viewed on a Google map, making them easy to find.

Ms Plibersek said the directory contained some 14,000 service records, which have been have been checked for accuracy by the Commonwealth’s new primary care network of Medicare Locals.

“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.”

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

The directory is an initiative of the Council of Australian Governments and is managed by the National Health Call Centre Network, which also manages a range services including healthdirect Australia, the after hours GP helpline, the Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Helpline, and the Australian Government’s new mental health web portal mindhealthconnect.