Telehealth is now a permanent fixture in Australian practice — but a video consult isn’t just an in‑person consult with the room removed. The clinical standards are the same; the way you reach them is a little different. The RACGP is clear that telehealth should be delivered to the same standard of care as face‑to‑face consultations, and only when it’s clinically appropriate (RACGP).
Here’s a practical run‑through for getting them right.
Before the consult
Decide if telehealth is appropriate. Telehealth suits many presentations — follow‑ups, results, mental health, medication reviews, stable chronic disease. It’s a poor fit where you need a hands‑on examination or the problem could be an emergency. Build a low threshold for converting to in‑person.
Sort the tech — on both sides. Use a purpose‑built telehealth platform rather than a consumer video app. You want something that opens reliably for the patient without an app or account, keeps consult data appropriately, and doesn’t record by default. If your tool has one, send patients a device‑check link so a failed camera doesn’t eat the first five minutes.
Set up your space. Quiet room, door closed, good lighting on your face (window or lamp in front, not behind), camera at eye level, headset for audio privacy. A neutral, professional background matters more than people expect.
The single biggest telehealth failure mode isn’t clinical — it’s the patient not being able to join. Removing apps, logins and downloads from the patient’s side is the highest‑leverage thing you can do for consult quality.
Starting the consult
Verify identity and location. Confirm you’re speaking with the right person, ask where they are, and get a call‑back number in case you drop out. Knowing the patient’s location also matters if you need to escalate to local emergency services.
Get consent. Confirm the patient is happy to proceed by telehealth and understands its limits. The Medical Board and Ahpra expect the same professional and ethical standards online as in person, including around consent and privacy (RACGP summary of Medical Board/Ahpra guidance).
Check who else is in the room. On both ends. It affects what the patient will disclose and what you should say aloud.
During the consult — “webside manner”
Video strips out some of the cues you rely on, so compensate deliberately:
- Look at the camera, not the screen, when you speak — it reads as eye contact.
- Narrate more than usual. Silence while you type feels longer on video; say “I’m just writing that down.”
- Slow down and check understanding. Ask the patient to teach back the plan.
- Use what you can see. Ask the patient to show you the rash, the swelling, the way they move. Video is a clinical tool, not just a chat window.
- Watch for the “doorknob” moment — the real reason for the call often surfaces at the end.
Prescribing, referrals and certificates
You can issue electronic prescriptions, referrals and medical certificates from a telehealth consult just as you would in person, within the usual clinical and regulatory rules. Be especially careful with anything higher‑risk — new controlled drugs, first‑time prescriptions where an exam would normally be indicated — and document your reasoning. (We’ll cover prescribing over telehealth in depth in a dedicated guide.)
Safety‑netting and documentation
Safety‑net every consult. Tell the patient what to watch for, what to do if it worsens, and when to seek in‑person or emergency care. Make the fallback explicit.
Document as you always would, plus a few telehealth‑specific notes: that the consult was by video or phone, that consent was obtained, who was present, and any limitations of the remote assessment. Good notes are your best protection if a remote assessment is later questioned.
Billing it correctly
Telehealth items are billed through Medicare much like in‑person items, subject to eligibility rules such as the existing‑relationship requirement for GP telehealth. If you’re unclear on what’s rebatable or bulk‑billable, see Is telehealth bulk billed? and always check the current MBS rules for the item you’re claiming.
Choosing the right tool
Your platform shapes the whole experience. The best telehealth software gets out of the way: the patient joins in one tap, the video is clear, and your booking, notes and billing stay in the practice software you already use. That’s exactly the niche MedCall is built for — Australian‑hosted and never recorded, with patients joining by a texted link. No app, no account, no friction.
In summary
Run telehealth to the same standard as any consult: confirm it’s appropriate, remove the tech friction for the patient, get consent, use video as a clinical tool, safety‑net clearly, and document well. Get those basics right and telehealth becomes one of the most efficient, patient‑friendly parts of your week. For the college’s full guidance, start with the RACGP telehealth resources.
Sources & further reading
This article is general information for Australian clinicians and patients and reflects the rules and sources current at the date of publication. It is not medical, legal or billing advice, and it is not a substitute for the official guidance of Services Australia, the Department of Health and Aged Care, AHPRA or your professional college. Always check the primary sources linked above for the current position.
The MedCall Team
MedCall is secure telehealth video software built and run by Telehealth Australia Group, a registered Australian telehealth practice. We write these guides for the clinicians who use MedCall every day.