Telehealth Linked to Lower Antibiotic Prescribing by GPs
22 Jan 2026
Published this month in the Journal of Health Economics, the research examined high- and low-intensity telehealth users and analysed data from the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) between 2017 and 2022. Most antibiotics were prescribed for respiratory tract infections.
Key Findings
The study found that high telehealth use did not lead to an increase in broad-spectrum antibiotic prescribing. Researchers suggested that GPs may feel more pressure to prescribe antibiotics in face-to-face consultations, and that telehealth may reduce reliance on antibiotics as a “time-saving” substitute during consultations.
The results also indicate that high-intensity telehealth users were still following guidelines, and their prescribing patterns may have been permanently influenced by telehealth.
Expert Commentary
Professor Mark Morgan, Chair of the RACGP Expert Committee – Quality Care (REC–QC), described the research as “fascinating,” highlighting that it included data from 36,669 GPs. He noted that antibiotic dispensing, rather than just prescriptions, was used as the outcome measure, meaning “just in case” or delayed prescriptions were not counted.
Dr Michael Tam, also on the REC–QC, cautioned that the pandemic created unusual circumstances for telehealth consultations and respiratory infections. “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why these results appeared,” he said, “but it’s reassuring that Australian general practice maintained good standards of care during this period.”
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: Journal of Health Economics, RACGP, newsGP
