If you live in rural/remote Australia

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Key points

This page contains information for patients diagnosed with liver disease who live in rural or remote Australia.

As soon as you’re diagnosed with liver disease, make sure you register with a GP and find out about other services in your area – for when you need them
Work out NOW what you would do in an emergency
Make your health a priority – listen to your doctor’s advice on keeping well and stay in touch with your medical team
Most states and territories provide services to support patients living in rural and remote areas, including telehealth and outreach services
If you need to travel to a liver unit, there is financial support available
If you need health advice quickly, you can speak to a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, by calling healthdirect on 1800 022 222
In an emergency, call Triple Zero 000

Seek urgent medical attention if you vomit or pass blood, develop a high fever, become confused or disorientated, or get new, severe pain in your belly.

Introduction

About 7 million people live in rural and remote areas of Australia. That means there are millions of people living with liver disease outside of the cities.

It can be much harder to find doctors and other health care in rural and remote areas. But these days there are lots of options for getting the care you need.

For example, there might be outreach services in your state or territory. Or your doctor or specialist might see you via telehealth, where you have the appointment over the internet or phone.

Sometimes you will need to travel. There is government assistance in all states and territories to help you with this.

If you have liver disease, it’s very important to keep in touch with your medical team and look after your health.

The information on this page is designed to help you find the services you need in rural and remote Australia.

I’ve been diagnosed with liver disease – what do I do?

If you’ve just been diagnosed with liver disease, the first thing to do is research what services are available where you live.

Make a list of all the services you might need. Write down the contact details and keep the list somewhere safe in case you need it in a hurry.

Planning ahead while you’re feeling well will mean it’s easier to act if you get sick.

Some things you can do are:

Make sure you’re registered with a GP. If there isn’t a GP where you live, you can search for your nearest service by visiting Health Direct.
Make sure your Medicare details are up to date and set up a Medicare online account if you don’t already have one.
Set up a My Health Record if you don’t already have one. This means healthcare providers can easily access your health information from anywhere in Australia, if you say it’s ok.
Ask your doctor what services you will need. They can connect you to the right services in your area. If you need more information, visit the healthdirect Service Finder or check some of the links for your state below.
Ask your doctor for instructions on what to do in an emergency – including symptoms that need medical attention. Ask if there is a number you can call if you’re worried.
Write down the contact details of all the health services. Include contact details for what to do in an emergency.
Check what your health insurance will cover in case you need emergency help. Ambulances are free in Queensland and Tasmania. But in other states you will need health insurance to pay for ambulance costs. You can buy ambulance cover as a standalone policy or as part of private health insurance. Ambulance cover may not be included in extras-only health insurance.

What to do in an emergency

People with liver disease can develop potentially serious health problems.

You need urgent medical care if you:

Vomit blood or do a black poo or a poo with blood in it. This could mean you have internal bleeding
Have a high fever, particularly if you’re shivering, shaking, have dizziness, pain or vomiting. This could mean you have an infection
Are confused, disorientated, drowsy or can’t be woken up. This could mean you have a serious condition called hepatic encephalopathy
Have new, severe abdominal (belly) pain.

If you have these symptoms, you need to speak to your doctor urgently, get to a hospital Emergency Department, or call Triple Zero 000.

Less urgent problems that can happen are:

Developing jaundice (yellow eyes or skin), or your jaundice gets worse
Development swelling in belly or legs, or your swelling gets worse
Obviously gaining or losing weight
Not sleeping well, feeling vague, or having difficulty concentrating

If you have these symptoms, speak to your doctor as soon as you can.

Which health professionals will look after me?

Most people with liver disease can be looked after by a GP. But many people may need to see a liver specialist (a hepatologist or gastroenterologist) from time to time. You will also probably need regular tests to monitor your liver function and to pick up any new problems.

Healthcare in rural and remote areas is provided by various government, private and not-for-profit services. Talk to the doctor who diagnosed your liver disease about what’s available in your area.

Your doctor might refer you to see a visiting specialist – a liver specialist who runs a clinic in rural/remote locations every few months. These specialists are paid for by the Australian Government through the Rural Health Outreach Fund.

Or your doctor might ask you to travel to an outpatient clinic. This is a larger regional health service or hospital in a city. There’s a list of support available for travelling to medical appointments in your state or territory below.

People with severe liver disease may be referred to a liver transplant unit. There are liver transplant units in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Liver transplant units have liver nurse coordinators who can help you arrange your appointments.

You can search for health professionals involved in treating liver disease by visiting the healthdirect Service Finder.

What do I do if there are no health professionals where I live?

If there are no health professionals where you live, you have 3 options:

Access an outreach service
Use telehealth
Travel

Outreach services

In some remote parts of Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service provides doctors, nurses and other health professionals to look after you. They can also help transport you to medical appointments. Read about the services the RFDS offers.

Some states organise medical outreach services. You can find out what’s available in your state below, or ask the doctor who diagnosed your liver disease.

Telehealth

Since COVID, there have been more services set up to treat people remotely using telehealth. That means you have your appointment using video conferencing or a phone call.

First check with your GP or specialist whether they will do a telehealth appointment. Health Direct offers telehealth consultations, or ask your GP how to find the best specialist service for you.

You can have the telehealth appointment at home, your GP, Aboriginal Medical Service or aged care home. A health professional may sit with you while you have your telehealth appointment.

You may need to organise scans or blood tests before you see your specialist. Make sure you have all the tests they ask for before your telehealth appointment.

Medicare will help pay for video appointments with some doctors. You will need to set up an online Medicare account to make a claim if the service does not bulk bill on your behalf.

Travelling to appointments

Sometimes you will need to travel to a regional centre or city for a medical appointment. Plan ahead to see what assistance is available. If you are organised, you can get the most out of your appointment when you’re there.

Before you go, think about:

Coordinating your trip so you get everything done while you’re there
Transport and accommodation
What you need to bring with you
Getting the most out of your appointment.

Coordinating your trip

If you’re travelling for a medical appointment, it makes sense to coordinate all your other appointments so you can have them all in one day.

If you’re visiting a liver clinic in a major regional centre or city, there may be a liver nurse who can help coordinate your visit.

Some states offer support services for rural and regional patients. Speak to your local GP to find out more about these.

Financial support for travelling and accommodation

Medicare will help with the cost of the appointment, but it doesn’t pay the costs of travelling there. Here are some services that can help you.

Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) helps financially with the costs of travel and accommodation if you need to travel to see a specialist, including flights and support for someone to go with you. How much they pay is different in each state and territory. It may not cover your full costs. You can read more or find information about your state below.
Angel Flight Australia coordinates free, non-emergency flights and transfers so people living remotely across Australia can access specialist medical treatments. The request needs to be made by a healthcare professional at least 5 to 10 business days before you need to travel. For more information, call toll free on 1300 726 567.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service also provides patient transfers. To see if you’re eligible, call the number for the RFDS in your state.
Ronald McDonald House Charities provide accommodation for families of seriously sick children during their treatment.
Some regional and tertiary hospitals offer accommodation assistance via specific accommodation officers or social workers.

What to bring with you

Before you leave home, make sure you have everything on this checklist:

Your transport and accommodation details – plan the route, think about parking, or getting from the airport, train station or bus depot
Your clothes and toiletries
Your medications
A list of all the medication you’re taking
The address and phone number of the hospital or clinic
The contact details of all the health professionals you’re seeing
Your ID and Medicare card
Any test results you’ve had.

Tips for getting the most out of your appointment

It’s a good idea to write down all your questions before you go. You can find a list of possible questions or build your own on healthdirect’s Question Builder.

Some other things to ask before you go home are:

Do I need any follow-up visits? Can they be done via telehealth or a health professional nearer my home?
Who will keep my local doctor informed?
What services are available to help me when I get home?
What information do my family and/or carers need to help me?
What medication do I need?

Useful information in your state or territory

National

In an emergency, call Triple Zero 000

Health Direct – general health information from a registered nurse is available on 1800 022 222. You can also check your symptoms on their Symptom Checker or find your nearest health services on their Service Finder

Map of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health/medical services

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 if you need are having a personal crisis

New South Wales

Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance from the NSW Government towards your travel and accommodation costs when you need to travel long distances for specialised health treatment that is not available locally. 1800 478 227.

Royal Flying Doctor Service NSW/ACT 1300 669 569.

NSW rural 24 hour mental health crisis line 1800 011 511.

Careflight in Sydney can help you in an emergency. Call 1300 655 855.

Northern Territory

There are outreach specialist medical services in the NT. You can find what visiting medical services are available in your area on the NT Government website.

Find out about accessing telehealth in the NT on the NT Government website.

Careflight in Darwin can help you in an emergency in the Top End. Call 1300 655 855.

Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT can help you in an emergency in Central Australia. They can give you a medical chest containing first aid items, medication and pain relief. Call 08 8238 3333.

Contact details for urgent after hours care are available on the NT Government website.

Find your local community care centre on the NT Government website.

Find what cancer services are available in the NT on the NT Government website.

St Johns Ambulance offers emergency services and patient transport in the NT.

Read about the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme in the NT.

Queensland

Find a health service in Queensland on the Queensland Government website.

Find a specialist in rural/remote Queensland on the Queensland Government website.

The Medical Specialist Outreach Assistance Program (MSOAP) improves access to medical specialists for people in rural and remote areas of Queensland. Search for available services or contact General Practice Queensland on (07) 3105 8300 or Queensland Health on (07) 3234 0856 or email MSOAP@health.qld.gov.au

Royal Flying Doctor Service QLD can help you in an emergency. They also provide a range of health care from GPs, nurses and allied health professionals, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. They can give you a medical chest containing first aid items, medication and pain relief. Call 1300 69 7337.

LifeFlight Australia offers emergency care on helicopter or air ambulance. Call Triple Zero 000 in an emergency.

Find out how to set up a telehealth appointment on the Queensland Government website.

Read about the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme in Queensland.

South Australia

Look up all health services in South Australia on the SA Health website.

Find your nearest regional health services on the SA Health website.

Find your nearest outreach services for people living in rural and remote areas of South Australia.

Community health services can be provided by the Country Referral Unit. Call 1800 003 307.

GP Plus Health Care Services and Centres provide extra services in Ceduna and Port Pirie.

Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT can help you in an emergency in Central Australia. They can give you a medical chest containing first aid items, medication and pain relief. Call 08 8238 3333.

Read about the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme in South Australia.

Tasmania

Find out what primary services (like GPs, community nurses and medical advice) are available in Tasmania.

Find out what hospitals and outpatient clinics are available in Tasmania.

Find out about telehealth in Tasmania on the Tasmanian Government website.

If you need patient transport, your doctor needs to book it. Read about non-emergency patient transport.

Royal Flying Doctor Service Tasmania provides a range of medical services. Call 03 63 910 509. They don’t provide emergency medical services – please dial Triple Zero 000 for emergency assistance.

Read about the Patient Travel Assistance Scheme in Tasmania.

Victoria

Rural and regional health services are provided across Victoria. You can find your closest hostpial or medical service on the Victorian Department of Health website.

If you need urgent care, your doctor can request Ambulance Victoria to look after you.

Find out more about telehealth in Victoria on the Victorian Department of Health website.

Travellers Aid Australia provides trained volunteers to meet and accompany rural people on public transport to and from their health appointments in central Melbourne.

Read about the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS).