The supermarket giant Woolworths has launched its own telehealth services in partnership with Healthylife.
The announcement on 21 March 2023 means that Woolworths customers are now able to speak to a doctor, purchase medication or speak to either a naturopath, dietician or nutritionist and collect Woolworths Everyday Rewards points when they do.
This includes access to heath consultations, prescriptions, and referrals for $45 and certificates for $25 – an amount which RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins pointed out was more expensive than the current cost of seeing a GP.
“Interestingly, they are charging more than what the gap fee is to see a GP,” Dr Higgins said.
“This is an opportunity to make dollars out of people’s health care.”
However, Healthylife’s General Manager of Health & Nutrition, Ms Sarah Gray, said that the new service will help address the current shortage and pointed out that there were many reasons why patients may need to speak with a GP via phone or video call.
“For example, when they are not physically able to leave the house, for children’s health advice, or simply because they cannot access their regular doctor,” Ms Gray said.
“You can now access this really quickly and conveniently.”
HealthyLife was launched in May 2021 and managing director, Mr Ananth Sarathy, told The Sydney Morning Herald on 21 March 2023 that giving access to telehealth bookings through the site was a significant, but natural progression for the business.
“When we realised what we could do in this space in regard to accessibility, it was a no-brainer. The pitch wrote itself if you like,” he said.
Healthylife has positioned itself as a one-stop-shop, providing complimentary healthcare services targeting the same demographic that currently ventures out to their local GP and pharmacist.
“In addition to providing fast access to trusted health advice, telehealth patients can request an e-script from the GP, have the script fulfilled and delivered to their door through our partner SuperPharmacy, via the Healthylife platform – all from the comfort of their own home,” Ms Gray explained.
The move has been seen by industry commentators as a renewal of its efforts to break into the pharmaceutical space, after abandoning its attempt in January 2022 to take over Australian Pharmaceutical Industries for $850 million.
Mr Steven Kulmar from Retail Oasis told Channel Nine News on 21 March 2023 that the move was ‘the back door for Woolworths to secure ultimately chemist and pharmacy inside their stores.’
According to The Financial Review, on 16 December 2022, HealthyLife, purchased the non-retail assets (including key technology and a warehouse) of SuperPharmacy, an online pharmacy specialist with six stores and a 20-year history, for less than $20 million.
SuperPharmacy partnered with the Woolworths Everyday Rewards program in 2021 and has been a third-party supplier for Healthylife since August 2022.
As well as muscling in on pharmacies’ territory, Healthylife offers a full range of sport and dietary supplements, as well as a range of articles containing advice on different health topics including immune health, weight and wellbeing, movement, sleep, and diet.
The articles have been selected to work much like health FAQs, offering customers the answers to common questions that many people may want to see their GP about, and the partnership is also developing complimentary applications such as Food Tracker, which enables shoppers to assess the dietary balance and health benefits of their regular grocery shop.
“We also know that there’s a growing demand for holistic healthcare advice for conditions including weight management, gut health conditions and chronic pain,” Ms Gray said.
“That is why we are providing virtual and cost-effective consultations with dietitians and nutritionists whose services are not always as accessible, particularly for those living in rural areas or facing budget pressures.
“Accessing a holistic health practitioner appears to be out of reach for some with only 6% of Australian adults consulting with a naturopath over a 12-month period.”
Woolworths has partnered with another external provider, The Gut Health Dietitian, to provide these services and Ms Nicole Dynan, the company’s founder and director, hoped that virtual access to a team of accredited dietitians and nutritionists would help bridge the gap for those who have struggled to access these specialised services in the past.
“Our practitioners can provide practical advice and guidance on health conditions like gut issues, food intolerances, medical conditions, weight management and general healthy eating, helping all Australians live a healthy life,” Ms Dynan said.
The standard 30-minute consultation fee with an accredited dietitian or nutritionist is $115, and a 15-minute virtual consultation with a naturopath is free of charge.
Telehealth booking times are displayed on the Healthylife website in AEST and the company estimates that the typical wait to speak to a GP is 20 minutes.