Navy Health understands that going to hospital can be a stressful experience for our members in itself, without having to understand the intricacies of the medical system such as fees and charges, out of pocket expenses, your rights as a patient, the process and the jargon.

To assist our members, we have created Be Informed, an online resource to assist you in making your hospital experience as easy as possible and to provide you with enough information to assist you in making the decisions you will be faced with.

In this article Navy Health will introduce you to HealthShare, a great tool that we hope will assist you with your health needs.

What is HealthShare and how will it benefit you?

HealthShare is a digital information resource that has been designed to provide a range of information to empower members to make their own informed decisions relating to their health needs. HealthShare empowers you as a member to research providers and ask the right questions to assist in minimising your out-of-pocket expenses.
HealthShare provides the following three services to members:

1. Find a specialist

Our find specialist search tool will allow your GP and you to search for and select the most appropriate and conveniently located specialist to suit your needs. Find a specialist here.

2. Provider fees and gap coverage

You will be able to see if your selected specialist has previously participated or have indicated their intention to participate in Navy Health’s Access Gap Cover, as well as those who have agreed to alternative no gap arrangements.
You will also be able to see how many times your specialist has used the Navy Health Access Gap Cover

3. Fact sheets and forums

If you need information about a specific condition, you can use Healthshare.com.au to look for “Facts Sheets” that discuss that condition. You can also “ask a question” by typing a question about a health condition. Doctor(s) who are specialists in that field will respond.

HealthShare and your GP

The HealthShare database has been integrated into many GP’s patient management systems and your GP can assist you to locate the best specialist that has participated in the Navy Health Access Gap Scheme.

Questions

What is the cost of using this service?

Nil – This is free service to Navy Health members

Why can I not find my specialist on HealthShare?

HealthShare is a list of specialists to who have agreed to be known publicly. If the specialist does not fit under this definition, then they may not appear on the list.

How can I find out my exact out-of-pocket expenses?

Specialists are free to choose if they participate in the Navy Health Access Gap Scheme or not. They are also free to set their own pricing for their services. For more information please read our Be Informed article “Going to Hospital – Cost and Informed Consent”.