Background: Telehealth has rapidly expanded in Australia, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a crucial tool to improve healthcare access for remote and underserved populations. While it holds promise for bridging healthcare disparities, concerns persist about whether current telehealth initiatives sufficiently address health equity—the absence of avoidable or remediable differences among populations defined socially, economically, demographically, or geographically.
Methods: A comprehensive desktop review was conducted to collect relevant telehealth policies and strategies at the national, state, and territory levels in Australia. The search focused on documents developed or updated over the past five years to reflect the latest developments in telehealth. Policies were analyzed to determine the extent of health equity considerations, with comparisons made between national and regional approaches.
Expected Results: The study anticipates uncovering both strengths and weaknesses in existing telehealth policies regarding health equity. It aims to identify areas where health equity is well-integrated and highlight where considerations are insufficient or absent, providing insights into discrepancies between different governmental levels.
Conclusion: By identifying gaps and opportunities within current policies, this review seeks to inform future policy development. The goal is to promote more equitable telehealth practices in Australia, ensuring that vulnerable and marginalized populations are not left behind as telehealth continues to evolve.