If you’re getting RSI (repetitive strain injury) from tapping health topics into your smartphone, you’re in good company. 

Almost 4 in 5 Australians turn to the internet for information on medicines, according to research by NPS Medicinewise. Three in 5 Aussies will look up symptoms or health conditions before seeing a doctor – or even instead of seeing a doctor.

This number increases among people aged 18 to 34 years. 

It’s important to monitor your own health and symptoms – and those of your loved ones – but sourcing the right information is just as vital. Not all material on the internet is accurate or trustworthy.

Trusted health information and more

Enter the new, supercharged healthdirect app. It’s a gateway to evidence-based information which is checked for clinical accuracy, safety and relevance — that means trusted health intel at your fingertips.  

The healthdirect app still offers handy tools such as the Symptom Checker and an A-Z list of health topics, but this version has new features and is more customisable. It’s also easier to navigate. You can now search health topics and save your search history, for example. 

You can use the app to find a health service near you that is able to update your My Health Record (which by the end of 2018 will be available to all Australians). It can also help you find a clinic that bulk bills.

Want to know if your medication has any side effects? On the app, you can access information about every medicine licensed for supply in Australia. This information is provided by the regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 

In case of emergency 

The healthdirect app features an Australia-wide directory of a range of health professionals, from GPs to massage therapists, Aboriginal health clinics to physios. You can call the health service you need via the app, in seconds.

In an emergency, you can call triple zero (000) via the app, which pinpoints your GPS coordinates (your longitude and latitude). This is so that ambulances and other emergency services can find you more easily.

The app will also list the contact details of your nearest hospital emergency department so you can make your own way there if you are able.