Forget waiting in line outside clinics, now get diagnosed sitting at home

Virtual treatments by doctors are predicted to grow substantially, with a recent industry association report predicting worldwide use of 'telehealth' services will grow sixfold over the next four years.

Dr Steve Hambleton, president of the Australian Medical Association, said the telehealth programs were particularly suited for skin doctors, as well as cancer and eye specialists.

Skin specialists (dermatologists) – who have notoriously lengthy waiting lists which sometime extend up to a year - have been on the telehealth bandwagon for awhile.

The Tele-Derm program ran by the Australian College of Rural and Regional Medicine has allowed patients to skip waiting lists for the past nine years.