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A new national online service aims to equip rural doctors with support, education and advice from clinical immunology and allergy specialists.
Allergic conditions are on the rise globally, and Australia is no exception. Approximately one in five Australians experience allergic diseases, ranging from food allergies and anaphylaxis to allergic rhinitis and asthma.
Long wait times for specialist consultations and the burden of travel create delays in diagnosis and treatment, leaving many rural communities underserved.
To address these challenges, allergy assist™ was developed as a free national online service designed to equip rural doctors with the support, education and advice from clinical immunology and allergy specialists. Following the success of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) asynchronous telehealth service Tele-Derm, which has transformed dermatological care for rural practitioners for the past 20 years, allergy assist™ aims to bridge the gap in allergy and immunology services, ensuring that patients receive timely and effective care closer to home.
Role of the National Allergy Council and ACRRM
The allergy assist™ initiative is a collaborative effort between the National Allergy Council and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. The National Allergy Council is a partnership between the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) as the peak medical and patient support organisations for allergy in Australia. The National Allergy Council aims to improve allergy care across Australia, particularly in underserved rural and remote areas, by improving education, providing resources, and advocating for system-wide health care improvements. Through its Shared Care for Allergy Project, the National Allergy Council aims to ensure that allergy patients receive the right care, at the right time, from the right health care professional(s), in the right place. The development of allergy assist™ aligns with the National Allergy Council’s commitment to bridging the gap in specialist care and supporting rural doctors in managing allergic conditions locally.
ACRRM plays a crucial role in delivering allergy assist™ by providing medical education design skills and ongoing technical support for the platform. As the only Australian medical college dedicated entirely to rural and remote health care, ACRRM ensures that rural generalists and GPs have access to the training, tools and professional networks needed to enhance their clinical capabilities. Building on its long-standing success with Tele-Derm, ACRRM continues to leverage digital health solutions to address workforce shortages and expand specialist care in rural settings.
How allergy assist™ works
allergy assist™ provides rural generalists and GPs with online access to specialist advice and educational resources. Clinicians can submit de-identified cases and receive guidance from paediatric and adult allergists within 48 hours, significantly reducing the traditional delays associated with specialist referrals. Additionally, participating doctors gain access to a library of case studies, education resources and live education events, enabling them to build competence and confidence in diagnosing, treating and managing allergic conditions.
This initiative not only aims to improve patient care but also empowers rural doctors by fostering peer-to-peer learning and professional development. Participants earn CPD hours while staying updated on best practices. The platform is low cost and simple to use, requiring minimal user training and designed to integrate seamlessly into a doctor’s workflow, reducing administrative burden and improving efficiency.
What sets these telehealth services apart from the traditional synchronous or asynchronous services is the inclusion of education for upskilling and building competence and confidence in the GP workforce. The specialist can coach the GP through the diagnosis, treatment and management, with the aim of GPs requiring less support as their experience grows.
Strengths and limitations
The strength of allergy assist™ lies in its ability to provide high quality allergy specialist input without the barriers of distance and real-time (synchronous) telehealth. Modelled on the success of Tele-Derm, it harnesses digital health technologies to extend the reach of specialist care into remote areas. The quick turnaround time for case reviews ensures that rural doctors can confidently diagnose and manage allergic conditions without unnecessary delays.
However, as with any telehealth initiative, allergy assist™ has its limitations. It is not a substitute for in-person allergy specialist assessment in cases requiring complex diagnostic procedures such as oral food challenges or decisions regarding whether a patient should undergo immunotherapy. Additionally, rural doctors must have the capacity to manage patients locally and the necessary resources, such as access to diagnostic tests, to fully implement the recommendations provided through the platform.
Next steps: expanding access and evaluating impact
To ensure the ongoing success of allergy assist™, continued evaluation of its impact is essential. A structured assessment of platform usability and effectiveness is currently underway, including user surveys and quantitative monitoring via Qualtrics. Approval for this research has been granted by the University of Western Australia (Ethics Approval Number 2025/ET000027).
Looking ahead, ACRRM hopes to see further investment in digital health solutions that support rural clinicians. Government and health services should recognise the value of initiatives like allergy assist™ in addressing workforce shortages and improving specialist access in underserved regions. Additionally, broader integration with existing telehealth frameworks and funding models will be crucial in ensuring long term sustainability.
By leveraging digital health solutions and specialist collaboration, allergy assist™ is paving the way for a more equitable health care system where high quality allergy and immunology care is accessible to all Australians, regardless of location.
Acknowledgments
The development of allergy assist™ has been a collaborative effort between the National Allergy Council Shared Care Working Group and ACRRM. The development and implementation of allergy assist™ has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
We would like to thank Dr Sandra Vale and Jane Connolly for their valuable review of this paper.
Dr Rod Martin (BSc, MBBS, FACRRM, JCCA, DRANZCOG (Adv), MAICD) is a Rural Generalist , currently working in primary practice in Armidale, as well as being a senior lecturer in rural medicine and critical care at the University of New England, and teaching medical students while practising as a visiting medical officer in anaesthetics, obstetrics and emergency medicine. Dr Martin is the current ACRRM President, has nearly 10 years’ experience as an ACRRM Council representative, been an ACRRM examiner for over 15 years, and contributed to curriculum development, including palliative care and rural point of care ultrasound. He has held leadership roles on boards including RVTS, RRQC, GP Synergy, and RDAQ. Most recently, he co-founded Observa Care, a remote patient monitoring service focused on rural and remote health needs.
Dr Kambiz Bahaadinbeigy is an Ahpra-registered medical practitioner, for teaching and research purposes. He works with ACRRM and holds a PhD in Digital Health from the University of Western Australia. Dr Bahaadinbeigy has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles on digital health in international journals.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The statements or opinions expressed in this article reflect the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy of the AMA, the MJA or InSight+ unless so stated.
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