No. Your clinician will determine whether telehealth is appropriate based on your clinical needs and current Medicare requirements.
Access convenient telehealth GP appointments with Next Practice Community – South Tuggeranong, where clinically appropriate. Book online or contact our team to discuss whether telehealth is suitable for your needs.
Sometimes you do not need to attend the clinic to receive high-quality medical care. Telehealth allows you to consult with your GP or another eligible member of our clinical team by telephone or secure video when it is clinically appropriate.
At Next Practice Community – South Tuggeranong, telehealth is part of our commitment to providing accessible, person-centred healthcare while maintaining continuity with your usual healthcare team. We recognise that every patient's circumstances are different, and we will always recommend the type of consultation that best meets your clinical needs.
Depending on your individual circumstances, telehealth may be appropriate for:
Every consultation is individually assessed. If your clinician determines that a physical examination, procedure or urgent assessment is required, you may be asked to attend the clinic for a face-to-face appointment.
Some health concerns are best assessed in person. This may include situations where:
If you are experiencing severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of stroke, severe bleeding or another medical emergency, call 000 immediately.
The Australian Government supports telehealth through Medicare for many GP services. However, Medicare has specific rules about when a telehealth consultation is eligible for a Medicare rebate.
For most general practice telehealth services, you will generally be eligible if:
Some Medicare exemptions apply for particular patient groups and services, including certain infants, people experiencing homelessness, selected mental health services, sexual and reproductive healthcare, blood-borne virus services, natural disasters and other circumstances specified by Medicare.
Our reception team can advise whether your appointment is likely to meet current Medicare requirements. Where Medicare criteria are not met, you may still choose to have a telehealth consultation as a privately billed service where clinically appropriate.
Please note that Medicare rules are determined by the Australian Government and may change over time.
At Next Practice Community, we are committed to maintaining continuity of care whenever possible.
Occasionally, one of our doctors may be well enough to consult but unable to safely attend the clinic—for example, if they have respiratory symptoms and are reducing the risk of spreading infection to patients and staff.
In these situations, we may offer what we call a clinic-supported video consultation.
This means:
This model enables us to continue providing safe, high-quality care while helping protect vulnerable patients and our healthcare team during periods of increased respiratory illness.
Clinic-supported video consultations are only offered where they are clinically appropriate and operationally feasible.
Following your consultation, your GP may recommend pathology tests or diagnostic imaging.
Where supported by the receiving provider, we may issue your request electronically rather than providing a paper form.
Electronic requesting offers several benefits:
Electronic requests contain the same clinical information required for Medicare compliance as traditional paper requests.
Importantly, you remain free to choose your preferred pathology provider or diagnostic imaging practice, unless there is a specific clinical reason why another provider is recommended.
If your chosen provider is unable to accept electronic requests, we can discuss alternative arrangements.
If your consultation is bulk billed, Medicare requires an Assignment of Benefit.
Assignment of Benefit is simply your agreement that:
Depending on the circumstances, this agreement may be completed electronically, on paper or verbally where permitted under current Medicare requirements.
If verbal Assignment of Benefit is used—for example during some telehealth consultations—we will explain the process to you before submitting the Medicare claim and will record your agreement in accordance with Medicare requirements.
If your consultation is privately billed, Assignment of Benefit does not apply.
Our team is happy to answer any questions you may have about fees, Medicare rebates or bulk billing before your appointment.
Your telehealth consultation is conducted with the same professionalism, privacy and confidentiality as an appointment in the clinic.
Before your appointment:
If a video consultation is arranged, we will provide instructions beforehand to help you connect securely.
Consultation fees and Medicare rebates depend on:
Our reception team can explain the expected fees and Medicare claiming arrangements when you book your appointment.
Telehealth is one way we improve access to healthcare while maintaining the high standards of care our patients expect.
We are committed to providing care that is:
Where telehealth is not the safest or most appropriate option, we will always recommend an alternative that best supports your health.
Need to speak with a GP without travelling to the clinic?
Our team can help determine whether telehealth, a clinic-supported video consultation or a face-to-face appointment is the most appropriate option for your healthcare needs.
Call: 02 6189 6888
