Dr Anupam Pokharel is offering telepsychiatry assessment for diagnostic clarification and treatment recommendations for Nepali Language Speaking Population residing in regional and rural areas of Australia, specifically those with limited English language ability. This service is being offered once a week from, every Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm, starting from 20 June 2020.
Dr Pokharel has provided in person face to face psychiatric consultations to Nepali language speaking people with limited understanding in English language and who reside in Melbourne area since 2011. It has been observed that many mature aged persons, including those with their origin in Bhutan who were previously living in various refugee camps in Nepal prior to their relocation to Australia have not only difficulty in communicating in English, their ability to communicate their psychological distress even with the help of an interpreter is limited. In addition to that it has also been noted that their somatic or bodily complaints appear to complicate the picture, which poses challenges to a medical practitioner who has not worked with this population in the past.
For this reason, Dr Pokharel is extending telepsychiatry (psychiatric assessment and treatment) for individuals with Nepali language background residing in the regional and rural areas of Australia and those who have difficulty in communicating in English, with the aim to clarify their diagnosis and assist their usual health practitioners in their treatment.
If you live outside of a major metropolitan area, then Medicare may fully support your access to telepsychiatry services.
To see a psychiatrist by telehealth,
to find out if you live in an area designated RA2, RA3, RA4 or RA5. You need to select "Australian Standard Geographical Classification Remoteness Areas (2006)".
Medicare requires a referral from your general practitioner for Dr Pokharel to be able to bulk bill your appointment for items 291 and 293. Please be aware your general practitioners will consider the suitability of psychiatric assessment under these item numbers in your case. Assessments under these item numbers leads to recommendations for your general practitioners to continue your psychiatric treatment locally. Without a referral you would need to pay the full cost of the consultation.
You will need to visit your GP and ask for a referral to see Dr Pokharel.
Once you obtain the referral, please click above to upload your referral.
Please make it sure your contact details are written on the referral. Our intake coordinator will contact you within two business days.
Please note that this is not an emergency or crisis intervention services.
Note to the general practitioner: This service is being offered to only those individuals who live in the telehealth eligible areas, speak Nepali language and who have difficulty in communicating in English. Anyone with satisfactory communication skills in English is expected to be referred to the usual pathways available locally. Appointments are available on Saturdays between 9 am to 1 pm for items 291 and 293 only.
At this stage Dr Pokharel can offer only assessment for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment recommendations under items 291 and 293, as Dr Pokharel does not have an availability to provide regular telepsychiatry reviews.
Please to in case your need more information on item 291 and for item 293. Please consider suitability of such assessments for your patients.
Even in case your patients require regular reviews by psychiatrists, Dr Pokharel can still provide second opinion to assist their primary treating health practitioners, including psychiatrists or psychologists involved in your patient’s treatment.
