Telehealth and IBD

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract. Australia has one of the highest rates of IBD in the world, with a prevalence estimated at 197 people per 100,000 population. CCA’s recent report, The State of the Nation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Australia (link to the report can be found below), revealed that nearly 180,000 Australians are currently living with IBD.

The introduction of new treatments and imaging has increased the need for strict adherence to treatment protocols and follow-up care. Patients on biologic medications require regular clinic appointments, blood tests, stool tests, and imaging, which often necessitate taking sick leave from work. It is estimated that the health, economic, and social costs of IBD in Australia have reached $7.8 billion.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, telehealth was often only used for patients living in rural and remote areas to allow attendance at appointments with specialist doctors. However, during the pandemic, previously in-person IBD specialist clinic appointments were moved online to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, particularly among individuals receiving immunosuppressant and immunomodulator treatments.

A 2020 Australian study, conducted during the height of COVID-19 and involving hundreds of participants, demonstrated the benefits of telehealth. The study found that most participants were either satisfied or very satisfied with the care provided by telehealth clinics. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in the number of patients reporting the need to take time off work 60.9% for in-person appointments compared to just 20.9% for telehealth appointments. This significant difference is unsurprising, given that joining a telehealth call can take less than five minutes, unlike the time required to travel to the hospital, wait to be seen, consult with the IBD staff, and then travel home or back to work. The study also showed no difference in the rate of nonattendance between in-person and telehealth appointments.

Many hospitals still offer telehealth IBD appointments, however, as indicated by The State of the Nation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Australia 2025, telehealth services have enhanced healthcare accessibility, but the quality of these consultations may not always match that of in-person appointments (i.e., examination of the patient). Additionally, regional areas often experience connectivity challenges that can limit the effectiveness of telemedicine.

The IBD National Action Plan created by the Australian Government with key partners such as Crohn’s and Colitis Australia identified the importance of specialist IBD Nurses and the importance of IBD Helplines. These helplines run through hospitals with IBD services can provide phone support and advice to patients to enable fast assessment of patient’s disease state and helps facilitate earlier intervention and admission to hospital if required. If you would like further information about the IBD Services, Helplines and general advice available to you especially if you live in rural or remote areas, please check out this link on the Crohn’s and Colitis webpage.  To access The State of the Nation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Australia, please follow the link.

Any information provided on this article is not aimed as medical advice. If you have any concerns or questions, we recommend you discuss them with your doctor.