Telehealth On Demand FAQs – HotDoc Help

Telehealth On Demand is a service that allows you to book a telehealth consultation directly through our website/app with the first available doctor. Please see our FAQs below to find answers to common queries.

What is Telehealth On Demand?

Telehealth On Demand connects you with a HotDoc GP for a same-day telehealth consult when your regular practice is unavailable.

It's designed to act as a safety net, providing you with timely access to care while keeping you connected with your regular GP or practice.

With Telehealth On Demand, you can:

Book a Telehealth appointment quickly, often within minutes.
Speak to a qualified Australian Doctor via phone or video.
Get help with everyday medical needs like prescriptions and general advice.

With your consent, notes from your consultation can be automatically shared with your nominated practice via HotDoc. You can also choose to receive a copy of your own consult notes after the appointment.

How do I book a Telehealth On Demand appointment through HotDoc?

We always encourage seeking availability with your preferred provider first (if you have one) before considering the Telehealth On Demand option — they know your medical history best. This includes calling the practice directly if you can't find an appointment time online.

If you need care and your preferred provider is not available, you can book a Telehealth On Demand appointment with a participating GP outside of your preferred providers through our website or app.

To do so, click on either the Telehealth or Book Now from the homepage and follow the prompts.

Telehealth On Demand option when searching for an appointment

Choosing the Telehealth On Demand option will book you a telehealth consultation with the first available doctor, and not your doctor from your regular practice or within your HotDoc Care Team.

Am I eligible for a Medicare rebate with a Telehealth On Demand appointment?

Medicare rebates are not available for Telehealth On Demand appointments. As a result, we cannot provide a tax invoice with Medicare item numbers and you cannot claim your appointment with Medicare. The full cost of the appointment will be payable by the patient.

How do I request an invoice for my Telehealth On Demand appointment?

If you require a tax invoice for insurance purposes, please submit a request to our Support team. This will not include any Medicare item numbers and cannot be used to claim with Medicare.

Can I book a Telehealth On Demand appointment for my pathology results?

No, you'll need to book an appointment with your regular doctor through your practice's booking page or contact them directly. Telehealth On Demand connects you with the first available doctor on the HotDoc platform. Since this doctor is not from your regular practice, they won’t have access to your pathology results.

What requests are suitable for Telehealth On Demand appointments?

Telehealth On Demand can be used for common and low-complexity needs when your regular practice is unavailable.

These include:

Occasional, low-risk needs for general advice
Refilling an ongoing prescription
Everyday medical needs

Even in these cases, we recommend checking availability with your preferred provider first (including calling the practice directly if there are no appointments available online). Your regular Doctor knows your medical history best and can provide tailored advice specific to your medical history.

Please note that even if your request is within the scope of Telehealth On Demand, the outcome of each consultation (including whether a medication is prescribed) is ultimately at the clinical discretion of the treating practitioner.

What requests are not suitable for Telehealth On Demand appointments?

Telehealth On Demand is not suitable for:

Complex mental health support, or mental healthcare plans.
Physical examination or other services that may require an in-person consultation.
Requests for medications that are restricted, high-risk or require close monitoring, including:
- Schedule 8 medications: These are controlled drugs with a high risk of dependence (e.g. strong painkillers like oxycodone, morphine; stimulant medications like dexamphetamine or Ritalin used for ADHD).
- Schedule 4D medications: A special class of prescription-only drugs that are subject to tighter prescribing rules (e.g. certain benzodiazepines or steroids).
- Medications that typically require an existing relationship with a doctor, ongoing supervision, or state health authority approval (e.g. weight-loss treatments such as Mounjaro or Ozempic).

In most cases, Doctors participating in Telehealth On Demand cannot prescribe these medications, especially if you are not an existing patient of theirs. If you book a Telehealth On Demand appointment for any of the above reasons, you will not be eligible for a refund as per our refund eligibility criteria.

If you think you may need one of these medications, we recommend booking with your regular GP, who knows your history and can assess you safely.

Why do I need to complete screening questions before I book my Telehealth On Demand consultation?

Before you can secure your Telehealth On Demand booking, you will be required to complete the relevant clinical screening questions.

The answers you enter will be sent to the Doctor assigned to your consultation to ensure that they have the necessary information to provide safe and high-quality care during your consultation.

It's important that you complete all questions as thoroughly and accurately as possible.

Can I send my consult notes to my regular Doctor after my appointment?

Yes, if you have added your regular Doctor to your Care Team, we will ask if you would like to share your consult notes with their practice automatically after your appointment. If you consent, we will send these to their practice automatically.

You can also choose to receive your own consult notes via email to take with you to your next appointment with your regular GP.

How long will it take for a doctor to contact me?

The doctor will aim to to contact you at the time of your appointment; however, if they're running late you should receive a call from the practice to inform you of this.

The doctor didn't call me or join the video link, what should I do?

If it has been more than 10 minutes since your appointment start time and the doctor or practice has not contacted you, we recommend contacting the practice directly.

If required, you may also cancel your appointment — in this case, you will not be charged for the consultation. You can find their contact details in your appointment confirmation email or in your HotDoc account under the Appointments Current or History tab.

If you were unable to reach the practice, please submit a request to our Support team and we can investigate this further for you.

What happens if I miss my appointment?

If the doctor has attempted to call you twice for a phone consult and you did not answer, or if you fail to join the video link for a video consultation, this will be considered missed and will not be refundable.

I had a Telehealth On Demand appointment and I am still waiting for my prescription. How do I get this sent to me?

If your appointment has finished and you haven’t received your prescription within 15 minutes, please contact the practice directly for an update on its progress. You can find their details in your appointment confirmation email or in your HotDoc account under the Appointments current or history tab.

How much does a Telehealth On Demand appointment cost?

The cost of a Telehealth of Demand appointment varies based on the appointment type and the time it is booked.

These are displayed clearly on the HotDoc website and app, and will be shown to you before you select your appointment type.

Please note that these appointments are not eligible for a Medicare rebate, and the full cost of the appointment is payable by the patient.

Why is there a pending payment on my card before my Telehealth On Demand appointment?

Upon requesting a Telehealth On Demand appointment, a temporary hold is placed on your card for the full appointment cost. This may appear as a "pending" charge on your account. After your appointment, you will receive a payment confirmation email approximately 1 hour later confirming that your payment has been successfully processed.

I booked a Telehealth On Demand appointment for a prescription, but the Doctor did not prescribe the medicine I wanted. Can I get a refund?

No. If the consulting Doctor has declined to prescribe any medication requested for any reason based on their clinical discretion, you will not be eligible for a refund.

For some medications, you may be required to book an in-person appointment with your regular Doctor so they can complete a full medical assessment and ensure that the medication is safe and clinically appropriate.

How do I request a refund for my Telehealth On Demand appointment?

Refunds may be granted under certain circumstances, subject to our refund eligibility criteria.

If you meet these criteria, you can submit a request for our team to review. We aim to review all refund requests within five business days and will notify you of the outcome via email. Please see: How do I request a refund for my Telehealth On Demand appointment?

I'm not happy with the care I received during my Telehealth On Demand appointment. How do I make a complaint?

We're sorry to hear your appointment didn't go as planned. Please reach out to our team through this link and select the option I have feedback to share.

I have been asked to take a survey, how do I submit this?

After your consultation, you may be asked to take a survey of your recent experience. This helps us to make improvements to these services. For more information, please see: Leaving a review of your Telehealth On Demand experience on HotDoc

How does the prescription appointment fee work?

The length and cost of the Telehealth On Demand consultation depend on how many medications are requested.

If one medication is requested, a short prescription consult (around 5 minutes) will be booked.
If more than one medication is requested, a multi-prescription consult (around 10 minutes) will be booked. Up to three medications can be requested in a single consult.

Booking a multi-prescription consultation ensures the doctor has enough time to carefully review the requests and make sure they are safe and appropriate. It doesn't automatically mean that all requested medications will be prescribed.

All medication requests must be included when the appointment is booked and reviewed during the consult. Any medications not listed at the time of booking cannot be discussed with the doctor.

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