What Is Telehealth and How Does It Work in Australia?

Telehealth is a way to access healthcare without being in the same physical location as your healthcare professional. In Australia, it most commonly involves speaking with a healthcare professional by phone or video call.

Telehealth is now an established part of Australia’s healthcare system. In 2024–25, 22.5% of Australians aged 15 years and over had at least one telehealth consultation. However, virtual care is not suitable for every situation, and an in-person appointment may still be needed when a physical examination or other face-to-face care is required.

Key takeaways

Telehealth usually allows you to consult a healthcare professional by phone or video.
A telehealth appointment should still involve appropriate clinical assessment and professional standards.
Telehealth can reduce the need to travel for some healthcare appointments, but it does not replace face-to-face care in every situation.
Some telehealth services are eligible for Medicare benefits, but eligibility depends on the service and your circumstances.
Registered health practitioners providing virtual care in Australia must follow the professional standards that apply to their profession.

What is telehealth?

Telehealth means receiving healthcare remotely using telecommunications technology rather than attending an appointment in person.

For most Australians, this means a phone or video consultation with a healthcare professional. The Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing describes telehealth as a way of having a consultation with a healthcare provider without being in the same place.

Telehealth is not a separate healthcare system. It is another way of delivering healthcare when virtual care is clinically appropriate.

How does a telehealth appointment work?

The exact process varies between healthcare providers, but most telehealth appointments follow a few common steps.

1. Book your appointment

You generally choose a healthcare provider, select an available appointment and provide the information needed for the booking. The consultation may take place over the phone or through a video platform, depending on the provider, the type of appointment and what is clinically appropriate.

2. Prepare for the consultation

For a video appointment, make sure your device is charged, your internet connection is stable and your camera and microphone are working.

It is also helpful to find somewhere quiet and private where you can speak openly with your healthcare professional. The Australian Digital Health Agency recommends checking your technology and finding a private, comfortable place before a telehealth consultation.

3. Confirm your identity and discuss your health

At the start of a virtual consultation, your healthcare professional may confirm your identity and explain how the appointment will work.

Like an in-person consultation, they may ask about your current concern, relevant health history and other information needed to understand your circumstances.

Ahpra’s information for people about virtual care explains that registered practitioners providing virtual care must continue to meet professional standards, including protecting confidentiality, communicating appropriately and considering whether virtual care is suitable.

4. Discuss the next steps

What happens next depends on your individual circumstances. Your healthcare professional may provide advice, discuss a management plan or recommend further assessment.

In some circumstances, they may determine that an in-person appointment, physical examination or other investigation is needed. Telehealth should not prevent a practitioner from recommending face-to-face care when that is the safer or more appropriate option.

Is telehealth by phone or video?

Telehealth consultations can take place by phone or video, depending on the service and the type of care required.

Phone telehealth

Uses a mobile or landline
Does not require video or a camera

Video telehealth

Uses a phone, tablet or computer with video capability
Requires a suitable internet connection and camera

Video allows the patient and practitioner to see each other, but it still cannot replace a hands-on physical examination where one is needed. Which format is appropriate depends on the healthcare provider, the purpose of the appointment and the individual circumstances.

Is telehealth the same as seeing a healthcare professional in person?

The professional standards expected of registered healthcare practitioners continue to apply when care is provided virtually. Ahpra states that virtual care is one option for healthcare and does not replace face-to-face care.

The main practical difference is that a healthcare professional cannot perform a hands-on physical examination through a phone or video call. Some assessments, tests or procedures also need to happen in person.

For this reason, telehealth should be viewed as one option for accessing healthcare rather than a replacement for all face-to-face care.

When can telehealth be useful?

Telehealth may be useful when a healthcare need can be appropriately assessed or managed without an in-person examination.

It can also reduce travel for some appointments. The Australian Government notes that telehealth can improve access for Australians in rural and remote areas who may otherwise need to travel long distances to see a healthcare provider.

Convenience alone does not determine whether telehealth is appropriate. The healthcare professional should consider whether virtual care is suitable for the person and the care being provided.

When might an in-person appointment be needed?

Telehealth is not suitable for every healthcare situation. An in-person appointment may be more appropriate when:

a physical examination is required
tests or procedures need to be performed in person
the healthcare professional cannot gather enough information remotely
technology or communication issues make an appropriate assessment difficult
the practitioner considers face-to-face care safer or more suitable

What about a medical emergency?

Telehealth should not replace emergency care. If you or someone else is experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, call Triple Zero (000) or attend an emergency department.

Is telehealth covered by Medicare?

Some telehealth consultations are eligible for Medicare benefits, but not every telehealth appointment is covered.

Expanded telehealth became an ongoing part of Medicare from January 2022. Eligibility depends on factors including the healthcare service, practitioner and individual circumstances.

For many general-practice telehealth services, Services Australia explains that eligibility can depend on factors such as MyMedicare registration or whether the patient has received an eligible face-to-face service from the practitioner or practice within the previous 12 months. Exceptions can apply.

It is worth checking the cost and Medicare eligibility with the healthcare provider before booking.

What standards apply to telehealth in Australia?

Telehealth provided by appropriately registered Australian health practitioners operates within Australia’s existing professional healthcare framework.

Registered practitioners must continue to meet the professional standards and codes that apply to their profession when delivering care virtually. You can check whether a practitioner is registered in Australia using Ahpra’s public Register of practitioners.

Is telehealth private?

Healthcare professionals and health services have obligations around the handling of personal health information.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner explains that health information is sensitive information and that Australian privacy law places rules around how health service providers collect and handle it.

Patients can also take practical steps to protect their privacy during an appointment:

choose a private place where you can speak comfortably
use headphones if other people are nearby
avoid public Wi-Fi where possible
ask the provider how the consultation technology works if you are unsure
tell your practitioner if someone else is present

How should I prepare for a telehealth appointment?

A little preparation can make a telehealth appointment easier. Before your appointment:

charge your phone, tablet or computer
test your camera and microphone if using video
check your internet connection
find a quiet and private space
have relevant health information available
make a note of questions you want to ask
have details of your current medicines available if relevant
let the provider know beforehand if you need an interpreter, accessibility support or another person present

Ahpra recommends telling your healthcare provider about accessibility needs, interpreter requirements or barriers to using technology before a virtual consultation.

How common is telehealth in Australia?

Telehealth remains widely used even after the rapid expansion that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 22.5% of Australians aged 15 years and over had at least one telehealth consultation in 2024–25. Among people who had used telehealth, 90.3% said they would use it again if offered.

This suggests virtual care has become an established part of how many Australians interact with the healthcare system rather than simply a temporary response to the pandemic.

Telehealth is one way to access healthcare

Telehealth can make it easier to speak with a healthcare professional without travelling to a clinic, but it is not the right format for every appointment.

The important question is not whether telehealth or face-to-face care is universally better. It is whether the format is appropriate for the person, the circumstances and the healthcare required.

A healthcare professional can determine when virtual care is appropriate and when an in-person assessment would be more suitable.

Learn more about Grove

Grove Health provides telehealth consultations with Australian healthcare professionals. Learn more about how Grove works.

This article provides general educational information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice. If you are concerned about your health, speak with a qualified healthcare professional. In a medical emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Sources

• Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing — Telehealth

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency — Information for people about virtual care

• Australian Bureau of Statistics — Patient Experiences, 2024–25

• Australian Digital Health Agency — Telehealth

• Services Australia — Who can claim telehealth services under MBS or DVA

• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner — Handling health information