Is filling in a form the same as seeing a doctor?

No. A form collects information and may begin an assessment process, but the required clinical interaction depends on the service and circumstances. Your doctor may need a real-time conversation, additional records or an examination before making a decision.

What should I have ready?

Have identification, your current location, a medicine list and relevant results or letters. Make a short list of the questions you want addressed. Check that your device and connection work, and choose a private setting where you can participate safely.

Can someone join the consultation with me?

Tell the doctor who is present and why you would like them involved. Consent, privacy and the nature of the assessment need to be considered. Some parts of a consultation may need to occur privately, particularly where sensitive or safeguarding issues arise.

What if the connection is poor?

Tell the doctor or service rather than continuing with unclear information. The clinician may need another suitable format or a different appointment. Do not assume a clinical decision can be completed safely when important parts of the history or visual assessment were missed.

Will I automatically receive a prescription?

No. A prescription is one possible outcome of an appropriate assessment. The doctor may recommend a different approach, ask for more information or advise an examination. See [prescription services](/prescriptions) for the scope and limitations of that pathway.

Doctor consult $59, 8am–6pm Mon–FriAfter hours $79See pricing

Doctor consult $59, 8am–6pm Mon–Fri.After hours $79.See pricing

Telehealth explained

How an online doctor consultation works

Telehealth is a clinical consultation conducted remotely, commonly by video or telephone, rather than in the same room as your doctor. With Doccio, you provide relevant information and discuss your concern so the doctor can assess an appropriate next step. It is not simply a checkout for prescriptions or certificates. Some needs can be addressed online; others require examination, testing or a different service before a safe decision is possible.

Book an online consultation $59

Online consultations available during service hours

Consults are $59 during business hours (8am–6pm Mon–Fri, Sydney time) and $79 outside those hours, regardless of whether you choose video or phone.

Business hours 8am–6pm Mon–Fri

Not for emergencies

Telehealth suits non-emergency problems that can be safely assessed by talking with a doctor. For chest pain, severe injury or anything life-threatening, call 000.

What you can discuss:Everyday illnessSkin concernsRecurring migraineContraceptionWeight-management questionsMedication reviewsReferrals and investigationsMedical certificate assessment

The four parts of a consultation

Doctor in a white coat and headset on a telehealth consult

Preparation

share the main concern, relevant history and any requested documents.

Clinical discussion

the doctor asks questions and considers the available information.

Decision

agree on advice, further assessment or appropriate clinical documents.

Follow-up

confirm what happens next and when to seek reassessment or urgent care.

Fees, Medicare and what you are paying for

Doccio's full consultations cost $59 during business hours or $79 after hours. Business-hours pricing is 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday in the time zone displayed at booking. An eligible short certificate or repeat request uses a separate pathway and price.

The payment is for a clinical assessment, not for a predetermined outcome. A doctor can recommend further examination or decline a requested document when the available information does not support it. Read the service terms before paying, including how requests needing a different appointment are handled.

Doccio's advertised appointments are privately charged. Some telehealth elsewhere is Medicare-eligible, but eligibility depends on the relevant rules and item rather than the use of a video call alone. See Services Australia's telehealth information.

Do not assume that your Doccio booking includes a Medicare rebate, external tests, medicines or specialist care. A pathology request and the laboratory service are different services with potentially different charges. Ask about the likely next steps and consult pricing so you understand the service being booked.

What makes telehealth a medical consultation?

There must be enough information

The doctor needs to understand the problem, relevant history and limits of the remote assessment. An intake form helps collect information but does not automatically replace a clinical conversation. The Medical Board's telehealth guidance emphasises appropriate assessment and real-time consultation in prescribing care.

Answer accurately, including information that might change the plan. Leaving out a medicine, pregnancy possibility or a warning symptom can make the assessment less safe rather than make approval easier.

Privacy starts before the call

Use a space where you can speak freely and tell the doctor if another person is present. Share clinical documents through the designated pathway rather than social media or public channels. Health information is sensitive and its handling is subject to privacy requirements. See OAIC guidance on handling health information.

You can ask how information will be used, stored or shared. An employer funding a service does not mean the employer receives your consultation notes.

The location still matters

Provide your current location and contact details. Tell the service if you are travelling or cannot access a recommended local service. This helps the doctor consider practical next steps and what would happen if the consultation identifies an urgent concern.

Check age eligibility and communication requirements before booking. Do not use another person's identity or assume a family member's appointment can cover everyone in the household.

A good ending includes a plan

Before the consultation finishes, confirm what you should do, what information remains outstanding and who will review any results. Ask how to seek help for side effects or deterioration.

If an examination is recommended, telehealth has not failed; it has helped identify the appropriate pathway. Call 000 in an emergency instead of treating an online account as continuous monitoring or a substitute for urgent care.