Doctors waiting rooms will never be the same post-Covid-19, according to one of our biggest primary health organisations.
That is not a bad thing - the pandemic has taught us invaluable lessons about keeping our germs to ourselves even when we are waiting to see a doctor.
Dropping to alert level 2 at midnight will mean a return to more face to face doctors visits, with some GPs expecting a rush of patients who have ignored their aches and illnesses during lockdown and beyond.
ProCare oversees more than 170 practices in the Auckland region with over 800,00 registered patients.
Its Clinical Director Dr Allan Moffitt explains what a visit to the doctors will look like from Thursday.
"One of the silver linings from this thing, I think we've got a new way of avoiding people from getting infected in GP's waiting rooms now, that probably in retrospect was never a great idea, but it won't be acceptable anymore to have people infectious, sort of cluttering up the waiting room," he told Checkpoint.
"Under level 2 definitely call ahead," Dr Moffitt said, and if you have symptoms or are at risk in any way, you'll be asked to wait in the car until doctors are available to see you.
Should cost of a virtual consultation be the same as a face-to-face visit?
Feedback to Checkpoint from listeners indicated a wide variety in charges for consultations with GPs over the phone and face-to-face.
Dr Moffitt said he could not give a prescribed fee as it depends on the nature of the consultation.
"It would be counter to the Commerce Act for me to say it should be [a particular] price. The reality is it is a competitive market out there.
"What I can say is people should still be able to get value, in fact they should get better value out of a virtual consult.
"What you're paying for is the use of knowledge and advice that is given out by the GP or the nurse, and that is still valued advice."
Dr Moffitt said if people are unhappy with what they are being charged for a consultation, they can take that up with their clinic.
"I would expect that you should be charged around the same price for a 10-15 minute proper phone consultation ... as you would if you had a face-to-face visit at the doctors' surgery.
"I think it's really important that people feel comfortable with the relationship they have with their doctor.
"But if somebody is dissatisfied with that relationship or cost becomes a problem, they should take that up with their clinic concerned," he said.
There are subsidies to consider as well, he said. For example, most Covid-19 related issues like a cough or a cold - those patients' consultations will be fully funded by District Health Boards.
"How long that continues for I don't know," Dr Moffitt said. "But at the moment those things will be free. Other things you have to pay for. I think that will be part of the confusion."
