Telehealth Consults For ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Mould Exposure Illness and/or Long Covid
We are currently offering Telehealth support for Australians over the age of 18 years anywhere in the country who believe that they have ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, mould exposure illness, post-viral fatigue or Long Covid. We are unable to offer this service to those outside of Australia. If you are interested in this burnoutsolutions.co Telehealth service, please read this page carefully so you are aware of how things work. Thanks.
This simplified service aims to provide assistance with core therapeutic goals (see below), specific recovery or management coaching, basic counselling, facilitation of private testing, limited Medicare-rebated testing, and obtaining practitioner-only nutraceuticals. Appointments for new patients are normally available faster than the current situation at the NIIM rooms in Melbourne. Dr. Bird's burnoutsolutions.co Telehealth service is particularly suitable to patients who reside a long way from Melbourne, Victoria. Those closer to Melbourne are encouraged to try and see Dr. Bird in person at NIIM (21 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, 3122). This online Telehealth service charges moderate rates but does not provide the following: On-site appointments, appointment Medicare rebates, care plans, prescription pharmaceuticals*, Centrelink letters or forms, insurance reports, legal reports or referral letters to specialist services or services to patients under 18 years (an appointment at NIIM is needed for these).
Usual Core Therapeutic Goals:
Identify and understand your personal and metabolic individuality
Optimise lifestyle habits to fit your individuality
Identify contributors to symptoms
Treat contributors to symptoms
Rationalise and minimise supplements (this can save a lot of money)
Formulate a long term health plan
*Except for LDN and cholestyramine, if indicated
This simplified service aims to provide assistance with core therapeutic goals (see below), specific recovery or management coaching, basic counselling, facilitation of private testing, limited Medicare-rebated testing, and obtaining practitioner-only nutraceuticals. Appointments for new patients are normally available faster than the current situation at the NIIM rooms in Melbourne. Dr. Bird's burnoutsolutions.co Telehealth service is particularly suitable to patients who reside a long way from Melbourne, Victoria. Those closer to Melbourne are encouraged to try and see Dr. Bird in person at NIIM (21 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, 3122). This online Telehealth service charges moderate rates but does not provide the following: On-site appointments, appointment Medicare rebates, care plans, prescription pharmaceuticals*, Centrelink letters or forms, insurance reports, legal reports or referral letters to specialist services or services to patients under 18 years (an appointment at NIIM is needed for these).
Usual Core Therapeutic Goals:
Identify and understand your personal and metabolic individuality
Optimise lifestyle habits to fit your individuality
Identify contributors to symptoms
Treat contributors to symptoms
Rationalise and minimise supplements (this can save a lot of money)
Formulate a long term health plan
*Except for LDN and cholestyramine, if indicated
Telehealth has some advantages. These include:
- It is usually not as exhausting as attending in person.
- The patient can be anywhere in Australia where there is a good Internet connection. They can also be travelling overseas.
- It is low risk for catching infections.
- It may be less anxiety-provoking, especially for those with anxiety disorders.
- Others can be asked to join, if needed
Doing consultations or coaching electronically has it's limitations compared with the face-to-face experience. These include:
- an inability to properly examine
- loss of subtle clues that might help in diagnosis or treatment
- the risk of technological failures from Internet or phone lines not working
- difficulties in communication from speech, hearing or sight impairment
- email communications are not considered completely secure
Consultations are only conducted in English.
Some cases are just not suitable for electronic consultations or become unsuitable.
Some people may need to be referred by a local GP so we can try and work together with them.
Current fees are $160 for 50 min (recommended for initial appointments and complex follow ups) and $90 for 25 min, which is the standard amount of time for follow ups. If your consultation happens to be over or under by 10 minutes or more then a pro-rata increase or reduction in the fee amount is applied. If a patient decides that they don't ever want any further consultations in the future then the last consultation fee can be waived, if not already paid. Dr. Bird also offers email support to patients who have had an online consultation, which is often free. If an email involves significant new advise or discussion of results in may attract a small fee of $5-$30 which is added to a consultation with a note in the invoice.
To request a burnoutsolutions.co Telehealth appointment in relation to ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia or Long Covid please click on the Halaxy logo link below. This link requires you to choose an appointment length and then enter your name and phone number. The first time you use this booking system you also need to verify using a code sent to your phone. It will then come up with a page confirming the request has been sent. If you see a Google map, just ignore it as we are doing an online Telehealth appointment. You will get a confirmation email.
- It is usually not as exhausting as attending in person.
- The patient can be anywhere in Australia where there is a good Internet connection. They can also be travelling overseas.
- It is low risk for catching infections.
- It may be less anxiety-provoking, especially for those with anxiety disorders.
- Others can be asked to join, if needed
Doing consultations or coaching electronically has it's limitations compared with the face-to-face experience. These include:
- an inability to properly examine
- loss of subtle clues that might help in diagnosis or treatment
- the risk of technological failures from Internet or phone lines not working
- difficulties in communication from speech, hearing or sight impairment
- email communications are not considered completely secure
Consultations are only conducted in English.
Some cases are just not suitable for electronic consultations or become unsuitable.
Some people may need to be referred by a local GP so we can try and work together with them.
Current fees are $160 for 50 min (recommended for initial appointments and complex follow ups) and $90 for 25 min, which is the standard amount of time for follow ups. If your consultation happens to be over or under by 10 minutes or more then a pro-rata increase or reduction in the fee amount is applied. If a patient decides that they don't ever want any further consultations in the future then the last consultation fee can be waived, if not already paid. Dr. Bird also offers email support to patients who have had an online consultation, which is often free. If an email involves significant new advise or discussion of results in may attract a small fee of $5-$30 which is added to a consultation with a note in the invoice.
To request a burnoutsolutions.co Telehealth appointment in relation to ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia or Long Covid please click on the Halaxy logo link below. This link requires you to choose an appointment length and then enter your name and phone number. The first time you use this booking system you also need to verify using a code sent to your phone. It will then come up with a page confirming the request has been sent. If you see a Google map, just ignore it as we are doing an online Telehealth appointment. You will get a confirmation email.
Notes about Telehealth: Dr. Bird uses a secure service provided by Halaxy. You don't need to download a special program to use this service as it works through your Internet Browser. I have had the occasional patient who does not wish to be seen or wishes to just use email for a consultation. If this is the preferred way of communicating you can mention it in your email. It is not ideal, but can usually be accommodated. If you still have questions after reading this web page, you can send inquiries to this address: drdavidbird then the usual @ sign and then gmail.com - I have not typed in the uninterrupted email to reduce spam from Internet robots.
A summary of the consultation is normally emailed around the time of electronic payment. There is no Medicare rebate. Insurance companies may not cover these consultations (ask them).
If there are technical difficulties with the Telehealth:
These are uncommon. Please check that your Internet signal and system are working well before the appointment. If the Internet drops out, your screen may temporarily go black or freeze. Please just wait and usually it will auto-reconnect when the signal improves. If it does not auto-reconnect or we lose the Telehealth screen, we can rejoin the session using the same link as long as we do not click the red disconnect button to end the session.
If we are unable to reconnect on the Telehealth video, Dr. Bird will call your mobile phone number and it will show as a ‘Private Number’. Please make sure at the time of the appointment that your device settings allow for private number calls.
If a consultation is shortened or disrupted due to technical issues, your fee will be reduced accordingly.
Mental Health Care
Most patients that Dr. Bird sees have two parallel lines of health challenges, one physical and the other psychological. They both need appropriate recognition and therapy. Dr. Bird focuses primarily on the physical aspects of chronic fatigue and related conditions. For ladies seeking a counsellor who is familiar with CFS-related issues as well as the treatment of anxiety, grief and disability-related depression I would recommend checking out Lorna Bird's (my wife's) services here: Yes to Health
Lorna specialises in a scientifically validated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy approach and offers very affordable rates. She does not provide Medicare Rebates.
For those seeking a psychologist, I would suggest Peter Webb who works at NIIM
Brief notes on Long Covid based in my experience to date:
Long Covid has many similarities to ME/CFS, especially to the post viral type of ME/CFS.
Many of the things discussed in this web site are applicable.
In my opinion a severe infection such as Covid can trigger a variety of things that can reduce energy, including:
Sleep disturbance
Activation of latent or dormant infections
Expression of gene variants
Hormonal disturbance
Onset of sensitivities
Histamine intolerance
Gut dysbiosis
Autoimmune reactions
Dysautonomia
Psychological, social and financial stress.
In addition, Long Covid appears to have its own more unique characteristics such as specific organ damage from the acute infection and microclots.
A summary of the consultation is normally emailed around the time of electronic payment. There is no Medicare rebate. Insurance companies may not cover these consultations (ask them).
If there are technical difficulties with the Telehealth:
These are uncommon. Please check that your Internet signal and system are working well before the appointment. If the Internet drops out, your screen may temporarily go black or freeze. Please just wait and usually it will auto-reconnect when the signal improves. If it does not auto-reconnect or we lose the Telehealth screen, we can rejoin the session using the same link as long as we do not click the red disconnect button to end the session.
If we are unable to reconnect on the Telehealth video, Dr. Bird will call your mobile phone number and it will show as a ‘Private Number’. Please make sure at the time of the appointment that your device settings allow for private number calls.
If a consultation is shortened or disrupted due to technical issues, your fee will be reduced accordingly.
Mental Health Care
Most patients that Dr. Bird sees have two parallel lines of health challenges, one physical and the other psychological. They both need appropriate recognition and therapy. Dr. Bird focuses primarily on the physical aspects of chronic fatigue and related conditions. For ladies seeking a counsellor who is familiar with CFS-related issues as well as the treatment of anxiety, grief and disability-related depression I would recommend checking out Lorna Bird's (my wife's) services here: Yes to Health
Lorna specialises in a scientifically validated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy approach and offers very affordable rates. She does not provide Medicare Rebates.
For those seeking a psychologist, I would suggest Peter Webb who works at NIIM
Brief notes on Long Covid based in my experience to date:
Long Covid has many similarities to ME/CFS, especially to the post viral type of ME/CFS.
Many of the things discussed in this web site are applicable.
In my opinion a severe infection such as Covid can trigger a variety of things that can reduce energy, including:
Sleep disturbance
Activation of latent or dormant infections
Expression of gene variants
Hormonal disturbance
Onset of sensitivities
Histamine intolerance
Gut dysbiosis
Autoimmune reactions
Dysautonomia
Psychological, social and financial stress.
In addition, Long Covid appears to have its own more unique characteristics such as specific organ damage from the acute infection and microclots.
Images and content © D. Bird 2017