Net doctor offers free medical to NZ town

Free medical consultations for a year are being offered by a group of Internet doctors to a small rural town.

The New Zealand-based www.doctorglobal.com is offering to adopt a rural community that has no doctor in the area.

The doctor-owned and operated Internet Medical company says its Virtual Health Care Centre can supply sound service and expertise, regardless of location, to help overcome the rural health crisis.

Doctor Global CEO Dr Tom Mulholland says there is an Internet revolution and people in outlying areas should also benefit.

“It’s hard to get doctors to rural communities so we can deliver virtual house calls. We are not just delivering one doctor, but a wide range of quality medical professionals,” he says.

Doctor Global has been providing confidential on-line consultations for the past year for $30. The organisation has 30 GPs and a range of medical specialists working in nine e-clinics in New Zealand, as well as having staff in Australia, Asia and the UK.

Dr Mulholland says the free offer is a way www.doctorglobal.com can give something back to the community after a year of successful service.

He believes the consultations will improve outcomes and save unnecessary travel for the medical services.

“If residents do not have computers in their homes, a nurse can be the contact point between the people and the doctors,” he says. “We are committed and passionate about what we do.”

Application forms for the free medical advice and management for a year can be found online here. The winner will be selected by the end of May.