How I Live... Screen Saver Meet NZ's Virtual GP

Samantha Bailey (37) is New Zealand’s First ‘Virtual Doctor’ and One of Four Medical Experts on TVNZ's New Series the Check Up

- Julie Jacobson

“I knew I wanted to be a doctor from about the age of 10, after I developed a perforated appendix and had to stay in hospital for a couple of weeks.

I was hooked. I was just fascinated by the place. It left a big impression on me, plus I love science and I love people, so becoming a doctor was a natural fit.

Funnily enough, when I was a trainee doctor, I ended up working with the surgeon who operated on me as a kid. I remember me telling him he saved my life!

There are no other doctors in my family, but my mum was a nurse. My older brother runs a flight school in Australia. I’ve worked in family planning, as a GP and in cardiology research.

I set up SwiftMed after seeing a woman wait three hours for a prescription at a weekend after-hours clinic. I became obsessed by the idea that it should be easier for people to see a doctor for simple problems.

We consult with patients online via a video-chat after they’ve booked an appointment. Then, depending on their problem, we organise a prescription – we can have medicines couriered to a home address – or a lab test or medical certificate if that’s what they need. It’s very fast – we can usually see them the same day.