Online hospital appointments (Telehealth)

Some hospital services offer online (phone or video) appointments. Online appointments can save you time and travel costs while getting the same quality of care.

Is an online appointment right for you

Ask your clinician (doctor, nurse or other healthcare provider) if an online appointment is right for your situation. Appointments that can be done online include:

  • mental health appointments
  • follow-up appointments
  • physiotherapy, dietetics, and speech-language therapy appointments.

What can be done in an online appointment

Online appointments should feel like face-to-face appointments. With online appointments, you:

  • can talk to your clinician about your health.
  • may get important information like changes to your medication.
  • can ask the clinician to repeat information to confirm you both have it correctly.

Your clinician will arrange things like letters, prescriptions, tests and other appointments if needed.

You will need an in-person appointment if you need to be examined or have tests done.

What you need to attend an online appointment

If you need an interpreter, let the person know when you make the appointment.

Phone appointments

For phone appointments you need either a:

  • landline 
  • mobile phone with good reception — and make sure it is charged.

Video appointments

For video appointments you need:

  • a device with a camera and microphone — a computer, laptop, mobile or tablet 
  • a good internet connection — video appointments use around the same data as watching videos online
  • the Microsoft Teams or Zoom app installed if you are using a mobile or tablet.

Attending your online appointment

For online appointments it is good to have:

  • a quiet place for privacy
  • a list of questions or issues you want to discuss with your clinician
  • something to write things down
  • your medication list
  • a support person if you want one — they can join from wherever they are.

At the start of your appointment you:

  • may be asked to confirm your identity
  • may be asked to confirm you are happy to go ahead with an online appointment
  • should introduce any support people you have with you.

Phone appointments

Your clinician will call you at the agreed time.

If your call disconnects the clinician will call you back. 

Video appointments

Find an open your video appointment confirmation (text or email) 5 to 10 minutes before your appointment. This includes a link you can select to 'Join the meeting'. When you select the link you will either open:

  • a website browser if you use a computer or laptop — make sure you ‘allow’ your browser to use your camera and microphone
  • the Microsoft Teams or Zoom app if using a mobile or table — make sure you have the right app installed, have logged in and tested it before you join your appointment.

You should be in the video waiting room ready to start your appointment once you have joined. Your clinician will join your video call when they are ready. Say "hello" and wave when connected.

Troubleshooting video appointments

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If the video disconnects, try to reconnect by selecting 'Rejoin' in the meeting, or the 'Join the meeting' link in your appointment confirmation.

If you cannot reconnect your clinician will call you on the phone to continue the appointment.

Check your speakers or headset:

  • volume is turned up enough
  • are plugged in and turned on
  • are selected as your audio output.

Check the microphone you are using is:

  • plugged in and turned on if using an external microphone
  • not muted in your device settings
  • selected as the microphone in the video call app
  • not being used by other software, such as other video call apps.

Quit all other apps if others still cannot hear you. You may need to restart your computer.

Check the camera you are using is:

  • plugged in and turned on if using an external camera
  • turned on in your device settings
  • selected as the camera in the video call app
  • not being used by other software, such as other video call apps.

Quit all other apps if others still cannot see you. You may need to restart your computer.

Make sure your modem and router are working properly.

Use a wired connection for best results.

If you use Wi-Fi:

  • move closer to your router if you can
  • have a direct line of sight between your device and router.

Check if others are using the network, such as video streaming, other video calls, or downloading files. Ask them to pause while you are on your video call.

Privacy and online appointments

Your privacy is important to us. No matter if it is an in-person, phone or video appointment — our systems are designed to keep your information confidential. During the online appointment, your clinician will be in a private space, and the information will be recorded in your health record. The video appointments are made over a secured network.

We do not record your online appointment. Your healthcare provider may ask your permission to record images if they think it would help your treatment.

You play a key role in keeping yourself safe online. Try to close any other apps or windows on your device before and during the appointment to avoid performance and security issues.