Online doctor Australia: see a bulk billed GP today

What can an online doctor do?

An online GP covers most of what a standard clinic visit covers, minus the waiting room. Medicare has funded telehealth GP consultations nationally since 2020, and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing maintains the current rules for how those services are delivered. Here is what a NewDoc online doctor can do, and what it costs:

Costs shown are for eligible Medicare cardholders; a private fee of $69.95 per consultation applies otherwise, with all documents still included. Whether a script, certificate, referral, or care plan is clinically appropriate is always the GP's decision during the consultation.

What an online doctor cannot do

An honest online doctor service is upfront about its limits. NewDoc is telehealth only, so there are things an online GP cannot help with:

• Medical emergencies. For chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, stroke symptoms, heavy bleeding, or any other emergency, call 000 immediately. If you are heading to hospital and have a choice of sites, live public emergency department waiting times are published for several states.
• Physical examinations and procedures. Anything that needs hands-on care, such as wound closure, ear syringing, or administering a vaccination, requires an in-person clinic. An online GP can still advise you on where to go.
• Presentations that need face-to-face review. Some conditions cannot be safely assessed over video or phone. If that applies to you, the GP will say so during the consultation and direct you to the right in-person service instead of guessing.

Unsure which path fits your situation? See do I need to see a GP in person? or the broader where to get care guide.

How it works

1. Book online in minutes. Choose a time that suits you, seven days a week, and enter your Medicare details. Any private fee that applies is shown before you confirm the booking.
2. Your GP calls at the booked time. The consultation happens by video or phone, wherever you are in Australia. A standard consultation runs about 10 minutes.
3. Documents arrive straight after. eScripts are sent to your phone by SMS, and certificates and referrals are emailed, usually within minutes of the consultation ending.

How much does an online doctor cost in Australia?

For eligible Medicare cardholders, NewDoc bulk bills the consultation: Medicare covers the full fee and you pay $0 out of pocket. Any eScript, medical certificate, pathology or imaging referral, or specialist referral issued during the consultation is included at no extra charge, and there is no surcharge for evenings, weekends, or public holidays.

Patients who are not eligible for bulk billing pay a flat private fee of $69.95 per consultation, with the same documents included. Full details are on the pricing page, and is telehealth bulk billed in Australia? explains how eligibility works.

How to choose the best online doctor in Australia

"Best" is the wrong frame for a medical service; the useful frame is whether a provider meets the standards that matter. When comparing online doctor services in Australia, check:

• AHPRA registration. Every doctor practising in Australia must be registered. Search the public Register of Practitioners by name to confirm registration and check for any conditions.
• GP qualifications. Fellowed specialist GPs have completed accredited specialist GP training on top of their medical degree. Ask whether every consulting doctor holds GP fellowship, or whether consultations may be with other prescribers.
• Bulk billing versus per-item fees. Some services charge separately for the consultation, the script, and the certificate. Check what the quoted price actually includes and whether Medicare bulk billing is offered at all.
• Hours. Evenings, weekends, and public holidays matter most, because that is when regular clinics are closed.
• Document turnaround. How quickly eScripts, certificates, and referrals arrive after the consultation ends.
• Verifiable reviews. Ratings on an independent platform such as Google carry more weight than testimonials a provider curates itself.

On those criteria, the verifiable facts about NewDoc are that every consulting doctor is a fellowed specialist GP, consultations are bulk billed for eligible Medicare cardholders, and NewDoc holds a 4.6-star average from 132 Google reviews (see patient reviews). For a side-by-side view of Australian providers, see the comparison of online doctors in Australia.

Common things people see an online doctor about

Online GPs handle the same everyday presentations as a local clinic. Common reasons to book include urinary tract infections, cold and flu, sore throat, gastro, sinusitis, skin infections, contraception, hay fever, and back pain.

Each guide covers when an online consultation is suitable and when in-person care is the safer path. Browse the full conditions library for more.

When is an online doctor available?

NewDoc runs seven days a week, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays, subject to GP availability. You can see the next available times before you confirm a booking, and the price is the same whenever you consult: there is no after-hours surcharge. Coverage outside standard clinic hours is covered in more depth on the after-hours GP availability page.

If you need a script filled late at night, the after-hours pharmacies directory lists late-night and 24-hour pharmacies across Australia, because an eScript is only half the job if nothing nearby is open.