After a few questions about things like allergies and alcohol consumption, I was asked what form of cannabis I wanted. “We have oil, flowers, edibles. What form?”

I told him I wasn’t sure, I haven’t really taken this before. “What do you think would be good for anxiety?”

“We can achieve with any form,” he said, and told me to take a lolly form containing a “high edible dose of [psychoactive chemical] THC”. There was no mention of how much to take or side-effects to watch out for.

This was not a conversation with a street dealer or a friend with a hook up, but with a licensed doctor from one of Australia’s largest medicinal cannabis telehealth companies, Alternaleaf.

I’d previously had a call with an Alternaleaf nurse to discuss my medical history for around 25 minutes (including time spent on hold), but I was still shocked by the speed of the doctor’s consultation.

Since it was legalised in 2016, a booming industry has grown around the prescription of cannabis, dominated by telehealth services linked to pharmaceutical companies. Experts are concerned this business model is placing profit before patient care, and that doctors are prescribing often highly potent cannabis without giving enough consideration to evidence about efficacy and safety.

With over a million Australians using medicinal cannabis, I decided to visit five specialty websites to score a prescription. I obtained several prescriptions for highly potent products, which the medicine regulator has not approved for safe and effective use to treat anxiety. 

The medical practitioner’s regulator says it has put the industry on notice, and that since 2019 it has taken regulatory action against 80 practitioners for prescribing or dispensing medicinal cannabis against professional standards. Cases include excessive prescribing, consultations that are too short and practitioners only prescribing products supplied by the company they are associated with.

Pharma-owned businesses

Finding a telehealth service prescribing cannabis online is easy.ĚýAdvertising prescription medicines in Australia is illegal, but it isn’t hard to find websites with names like Candor and Polln spruiking “alternative medicine”.Ěý

Despite the rules against advertising prescription medicines, a 2025 study led by Dr Carmen Lim from the University of Queensland found that almost half of the 54 Australian medicinal cannabis websites the study looked at were breaking regulatory guidelines, showing images of cannabis or making unsubstantiated claims about the effects of the drug.

Many online cannabis clinics are owned by the same pharmaceutical companies that supply the drug.

Montu, describing itself as “one of the largest suppliers of medicinal cannabis products in the Australian markets” owns Alternaleaf, a telehealth service that claims to serve 200,000 Australian patients.

Nectar Brands owns both the telehealth clinic Polln and cannabis supplier Cultiva. Nectar Brands told us that Polln operates “exclusively as a telehealth platform” and should not be conflated with any other entity.

Green Australia Wholesale operates telehealth clinics under the name Easykind and also supplies cannabis products. Easykind says its commercial structure does not determine the decision-making of its clinicians.  

Dr Christine Hallinan, senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne, says a telehealth prescription business model in which a pharmaceutical company has a commercial interest in the business that prescribes its products, removes impartiality and undermines the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm. “The altruism is gone,” she says.

“How can you guarantee a drug is for the patient’s best interest when that prescriber is obliged to the business case of the company they work for?”

Dr Christopher Rudge, a health law researcher at Sydney Law School, says even if there’s no written arrangement encouraging doctors to prescribe more cannabis products, there may be an understanding that doctors could receive more business or future contracts.

“It’s a difficult situation for medical practitioners who are usually not incentivised in these ways,” he says.

Prescribing an unapproved drug

Emily*, a woman in her 20s, had previously self-medicated with cannabis to manage her menstrual pain, but following a recommendation from a friend, decided to visit an online prescribing service.

“It feels like you’re doing it in a safer way,” she says.

Like many Australian women, Emily says she had “really invalidating experiences with doctors”, but found her consultation through the online clinic “empathetic”, and more affordable than her regular GP.

What she was not told by her doctor, however, was that the medicine they were prescribing was not approved for safe or effective use for her condition in Australia.

Over 99% of cannabis products prescribed are not approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which means the medicine regulator has not assessed the drug’s safety, effectiveness or quality.

The TGA says “a large number of patients” are unaware that most medicinal cannabis products have not been approved by the TGA for the conditions they are being prescribed for.

Although unapproved medicines are usually restricted, thanks to special pathways, since 2016, doctors have been able to prescribe cannabis in “exceptional circumstances” .

Wayne Hall, Emeritus Professor at the National Centre for Youth Substance Research at the University of Queensland, was a research advisor to the TGA and the federal health minister in the early stages of legalisation. He says these schemes were meant for patients undergoing chemotherapy, or living with multiple sclerosis or epilepsy.  

“The medicinal cannabis industry has really pushed the boundaries in terms of conditions for which people seek treatment,” Hall says.

Cannabis is today most commonly prescribed for chronic pain, followed by anxiety, sleep disorder, PTSD and depression.

The largest ever review of medicinal cannabis studies, led by Dr Jack Wilson from the University of Sydney and published in Lancet Psychiatry this year, found that treating mental disorders with cannabis is “currently rarely justified” given the “scarcity of evidence” in quality studies.

Wilson says that there is a small amount of evidence that cannabis is effective for chronic pain, and no evidence to suggest it is effective in treating depression, anxiety or PTSD.

“Most of the products out there have not been evaluated for efficacy,” Wilson says. 

Of the studies that do exist, Wilson said many had a conflict of interest, with financial ties to the cannabis industry and no independent evaluation.

ĚÇĐÄVlog visits the doctor

Presenting with anxiety and insomnia, I sought a cannabis prescription from five telehealth websites. I visited Alternaleaf, Candor, Easykind and Polln, all of which are either owned by, or affiliated with, companies that supply cannabis. I also visited Dispensed, which is not affiliated with a company that supplies cannabis. All five telehealth websites offered an easy purchasing option on their page. 

Dispensed says its company is not vertically integrated and it has “no ownership, shareholding, nor is it a beneficiary of any cultivator, manufacturer or distributor”. Ěý

Following either a pre-screening session with a nurse or an online questionnaire enquiring about my medical history, I attended a doctor consultation with the five companies, where each doctor recommended using cannabis products. 

While Easykind, Polln and Candor consults lasted around 15 minutes, the Dispensed consult lasted under eight, and the Alternaleaf doctor took just three and a half minutes to prescribe me with cannabis.

In response to follow up questions from ĚÇĐÄVlog, Alternaleaf told us the practitioner in my consultation has been stood down because he did not meet expected protocols. It claimed the doctor in question was an “outlier” and the company has commissioned a clinical audit to confirm this is an isolated case.

Doctors are required by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to inform patients of any financial or commercial conflict of interest, and not let those conflicts get in the way of providing quality care to patients.

None of the doctors we spoke with disclosed that they worked for a business that was either a  cannabis supplier, or owned or affiliated with one. The person or entity that employed the doctor was also not disclosed, however they were plainly associated with the relevant clinic. 

In response to ĚÇĐÄVlog’s questions, each telehealth company told us all clinical decisions are up to the discretion of the medical practitioner. Easykind, Polln, Vitura health (owner of Candor) and Dispensed all denied there was a conflict of interest.

AHPRA says “conflicts of interests are inherent if you work for an organisation that prescribes and dispenses a single medication”. ĚÇĐÄVlog is not suggesting that any of the businesses named in this article have breached applicable laws and guidelines, intentionally or otherwise. 

De facto retail outlets

When Emily received her medicinal cannabis, she noticed the packaging wasn’t like regular medicines. 

“It’s got a space type of print, there’s a mad professor, funny cartoon on the front”, she says.

Some of the products we were prescribed were called Espresso Candy and Purple Raine (Candy Raine x Cherry Punch).

Wayne Hall says many of the products being prescribed here are also sold in the recreational cannabis market in North America. “Some of these clinics look pretty much like de facto retail outlets for adults who want to use cannabis,” he says.

Out of the two main chemicals in cannabis, THC is the compound that gives users the ‘high feeling’.

Products with the highest levels of THC are the most common cannabis category of drugs prescribed for anxiety, chronic pain, sleep disorder, PTSD and depression.

“I just don’t think there’s any justification for prescribing these for medicinal purposes,” Hall says. 

According to the TGA’s guidance for the use of medicinal cannabis, products containing THC are generally “not appropriate” for patients with an anxiety disorder.

The Easykind doctor I spoke with said for the price of the products they were prescribing me, “compared to how much you would pay for street cannabis, it’s actually really good”.

Risks not disclosed

Both TGA and AHPRA say any doctor prescribing unapproved medicinal cannabis products must ensure patients are aware of the risks and benefits of the product.

A TGA spokesperson told us that when patients are prescribed unapproved cannabis products, they must be informed that the products are not on the approved drug registry and haven’t been evaluated for quality, safety or efficacy.Ěý

Patients must also be told there may be known or unknown side effects. None of the doctors I saw told me they were prescribing me an unapproved drug.

The companies tended to present a “consent form” with this information on their website in the style of a standard online terms and conditions form. There was no consistency in the level of information provided.

Candor told us patients are required to actively confirm they have read and understood their online consent form. Candor was confident that this, alongside verbal counselling from clinicians, is consistent with regulatory expectations.

The other four telehealth companies told us they expect doctors to seek informed consent in line with the regulator’s requirements.

Following questions from ĚÇĐÄVlog about the consults and the lack of information provided, Alternaleaf and Dispensed told us they will investigate the matter. 

Four of the five doctors told me about side effects during my consultation, but only after I asked about them. Each told me different things, despite prescribing me similar products. 

Candor told me about paranoia, Easykind mentioned side effects such as dry mouth, appetite change, nausea and effects to mood at higher doses. Polln said the same, and also added that headaches and paranoia may occur. The Dispensed doctor mentioned drowsiness and anaphylaxis.

Each doctor only recommended treatment using cannabis products available through their company’s website, and did not suggest I try other treatments or medications.

The doctors who we consulted with said cannabis would be effective for a range of issues, from anxiety to insomnia and pain. 

Dr Jack Wilson says that based on available evidence,  he would be “very concerned” if doctors are saying cannabis will help with anxiety.

Harms: Addiction and psychosis

As potent psychoactive cannabis products have become increasingly easy to access, experts are concerned about the harm this may cause to people with serious mental illnesses.

Professor Dan Siskind, a psychiatrist and a researcher at the University of Queensland, says patients with severe mental health issues are not only finding it easy to access medicinal cannabis, but the products they are using tend to contain more THC than the cannabis sold on the streets.

“What I’m seeing now is that people who have schizophrenia are now using these high-THC products and are developing much worse psychosis,” Siskind says.

“A prescriber should take a very thorough mental health history to enquire about people’s history of psychosis or psychotic symptoms.”

In each telehealth clinic I attended, I was asked by a doctor, nurse or online questionnaire about individual and family history of psychotic illness. I was not asked to provide my medical history or a GP referral by any clinic.

“What I’m hearing from my patients is that they are not finding barriers to access,” Siskind says.

Additionally, a review from 2024 from the University of Queensland found that around 25% of patients worldwide taking medicinal cannabis meet the criteria for cannabis use disorder, which is when someone becomes dependent on the drug.ĚýĚý

In total, I obtained four scripts for cannabis within one week. Polln said I could receive my prescription if I got a discharge letter from the other clinics. I did not fill any of the scripts. 

Time for reform 

The TGA is currently undertaking a review into how cannabis prescriptions are regulated, but it has not indicated when it will be complete. 

Based on 786 submissions from stakeholders, it said there was agreement that the current access framework is “not fit for purpose and not proportionate to the potential safety and quality risks”.

The Cannabis Council Australia says it supports the government’s review. 

“We have been calling for regulatory reform for healthcare that involves medicinal cannabis for some time. Current regulations have not kept pace with the growth in prescribing and, in association, products,” they say. 

“Our submission to the TGA proposed a fit-for-purpose reform framework that we are already actively progressing in consultation with stakeholders across the health system.” 

Dr Christine Hallinan says medicinal cannabis can be a “life-changer for some patients”.

“But they need to access it from a system that is horizontal, not vertical. A system where the prescriber is totally independent from the supplier”.

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The post Medicinal cannabis: Inside the world of pharma-controlled clinics and ‘5-minute’ consults appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

When government money comes pouring into the private sector, businesses of dubious character tend to spring up quickly.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) may be one of the biggest facilitators of this at the moment.

As of mid-December, there were 269,432 active NDIS providers across Australia, the vast majority of which (around 94%) are what’s known as unregistered providers. It means they haven’t been audited and approved by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (NDIS Commission) – one of the main regulators – to make sure they’re delivering quality services and sticking to the rules.

Though there are limits on the types of support they can provide, these businesses have comparatively low start-up costs and can enter the market quickly. In some parts of Australia, unregistered NDIS providers seem to be everywhere, and many are exploiting the sprawling system. Between 2018 and 2024, the number of NDIS participants grew by 452%.

The NDIS currently serves around 761,000 adults and children, and it cost around $49 billion in taxpayer dollars in 2025. Those costs have been predicted by some analysts to rise to $100 billion a year by 2035, overtaking the age pension to become Australia’s most expensive social support program.

The NDIS has been an indispensable life-changer for many, but the scheme remains a work in progress, and it has fallen short of expectations on a number of fronts, especially when it comes to meeting the needs of marginalised groups such as First Nations people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

A recurring complaint from participants overall is that the NDIS administrative processes are complicated and confusing. The bureaucratic hurdles are many.

It’s also important to point out that nearly half of NDIS providers suffered a financial loss in 2024–25 according to National Disability Services, the peak industry body for non-government disability service organisations.

But there’s a larger overarching issue – that many NDIS providers are more focused on reaping profits from the government-subsidised scheme than on helping people with a disability. This unfortunate fact is contributing heavily to the cost blowouts.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and the NDIS Commission have prime responsibility for regulating the scheme. (The NDIS Commission received 29,054 complaints about providers in 2023–24.)

But NDIS providers are also beholden to the Australian Consumer Law, which is overseen by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

The dodgy provider problem is big enough that these three regulators set up a task force in December 2023 to deal with it. In February this year, the ACCC released a report outlining some of the enforcement actions it has taken since then. The transgressions it highlights are standard fare in the broader consumer marketplace – false advertising, overcharging, contracts lopsided in favour of the business, illegal restrictions on returns, and so on.

But when people with a disability are the victims, it gets more concerning.  

Ausnew’s dodgy sales tactics and misleading claims

Shortly after the task force was set up, an NDIS provider called Ausnew Home Care Service came under scrutiny for engaging in tactics reminiscent of the big supermarkets and unscrupulous online retailers. (Ausnew, a registered provider, sells everything from therapeutic pillows to mobility scooters.)

In December 2024 the ACCC took the business to court for allegedly promoting “sales” prices by displaying earlier strikethrough prices complete with “last chance” sales banners and countdown clocks. In fact, the “sales” prices were just the regular prices that were always available, and the strikethrough prices never existed. The ACCC is currently undertaking legal action against both Woolworths and Coles for similar conduct.

Then ACCC Commissioner Liza Carver said that the “artificial urgency” would have misled consumers, “many of whom were elderly or with a disability requiring support”.

Ausnew Home Care Service was also called out for claiming its products were “NDIS approved” on its website and in Google ads, a marketing boast that seems particularly irresistible to certain providers. The problem is that there is no such thing as an NDIS-approved product. The NDIS Commission registers providers, but it doesn’t endorse or approve of particular products.

The way this plays out for NDIS recipients is that they may end up purchasing something – a massage chair for instance – that says or implies it’s NDIS-approved. Then their NDIS claim for reimbursement is rejected because it’s not an eligible support item.

To round out its contraventions of consumer law, Ausnew also made up its own rules about consumer guarantees. Its refund policy imposed various conditions and exclusions on refunds or replacements for faulty goods, including that they had to be returned within seven days of purchase in their original packaging, and that it was up to Ausnew whether to provide a store credit or replacement. According to the law, consumers can demand a repair, replacement or refund in the case of a major fault, with no conditions attached. The Ausnew case is ongoing.

In all of the above, Ausnew is not alone. But the business did manage to tick several non-compliance boxes at once.

False claims of NDIS affiliation

A business claiming a connection with the NDIS when there is none is perhaps the most common form of consumer deception arising from the scheme. Early last year, the retail chain Bedshed paid $39,600 in penalties after the ACCC issued it with two infringement notices for claiming that some of its mattresses, furniture and bedding accessories were “NDIS approved” and “NDIS permitted”.

“Targeting consumers experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage with misleading advertising is particularly concerning, and we are continuing to investigate companies making similar claims,” ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said at the time.

Around the same time, Thermomix Australia paid $79,200 in ACCC penalties for claiming its Thermomix TM6 mix and Kobold cordless vacuum and mop were connected with the NDIS.

The misleading promotional language ran the gamut: “NDIS approved”, “NDIS-registered product”, “NDIS-consumables”, “NDIS assistive technology”, and “NDIS equipment”.

“Each NDIS participant has unique needs, and what’s funded under their plan is determined individually, not through a list of approved products. There are no categories of goods or services which are automatically NDIS approved or funded for all NDIS participants,” Cass-Gottlieb said.

The NDIS Commission was recently given new powers to combat fraud, most notably an enforcement tool called Anti-Promotion Orders, which can be imposed on providers who misleadingly promote products as “NDIS approved”.

When the ACCC report was released in February this year, ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe sounded a warning to businesses set on putting profits ahead of the needs of people with a disability.

“Harm can range from financial loss and life-limiting impacts, to compromising the safety and physical wellbeing of NDIS participants. Such conduct is completely unacceptable and the ACCC will continue to work with taskforce agencies to protect NDIS participants, educate and hold providers that continue to do the wrong thing accountable.”

How to spot false NDIS advertising

• If it says “NDIS approved” it’s misleading by definition – the NDIS doesn’t approve particular goods or services.
• Don’t trust ads that say NDIS funds will cover “all inclusive” holidays. NDIS funding doesn’t cover costs for participants on holidays. 
• Ads that provide instructions on how to use NDIS funding codes for recreational outings like the movies or theme parks are misleading – the scheme doesn’t cover this.
• Don’t trust businesses that suggest an NDIS affiliation or endorsement in their name, such as “NDIS therapies” and the like.

The post NDIS providers putting profits over peopleĚý appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

On this page:

• What is telehealth?Ěý
• What are the costs?
• Finding online consultation services
• Other online health assistance
• Home visits
• Just need a doctor's certificate?

But since the onset of COVID-19, phone and video consultations have become commonplace for many Australians. So how does telehealth work and what’s the best way to access these services?

Cold, flu and COVID-19:ĚýIt’s very difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of COVID-19, influenza and a cold. If you have symptoms such as a sore throat, headache, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, cough or runny nose, you may need to self-isolate and to be assessed by a medical professional. You should also get tested for COVID-19.Ěý

What is telehealth?Ěý

‘Telehealth’ or ‘e-health’ refers to a medical consultation that takes place by video conferencing or audio over the internet. Telehealth services can include diagnosis, treatment and preventative healthcare.Ěý

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth services were mainly used by people living in rural or remote areas who needed to access specialists not available in their area. A Medicare rebate was available for eligible patients, but it didn’t extend to the general population, and didn’t cover non-specialist services such as GP visits.

But since the onset of the pandemic, the government has increased funding for telehealth, which means all Australians with a Medicare card can access rebatable telehealth services. The government has also extended the number of services covered by Medicare to include videoconference or telephone consultations between patients and GPs, specialists, allied health and nurse practitioners.

All this means that any Australian can choose to have a video or phone consultation with their GP rather than a face-to-face consultation at no extra cost (provided their GP offers this service).

How does it work?Ěý

The process for booking a telehealth appointment is more or less the same as for booking an in-person appointment. You call to make the appointment, ask for it to be done over the phone or by video conference (depending on what the clinicĚý offers) and then in most cases the doctor will call you when it’s time for your appointment.Ěý

Be aware that your doctor may be running late, as with in-person appointments, so set aside plenty of time.

How widespread is telehealth?

Some telehealth services are provided by online-only clinics. In this case, they will probably process bookings and conduct appointments online, and some may even have their own apps.

But more and more traditional bricks-and-mortar clinics now offer telehealth services, alongside their usual face-to-face appointments. For example, many GPs, health clinics and psychologists now give patients the option of booking phone or video appointments, as well as face-to-face ones.Ěý

Telehealth not always suitable

Not all doctor/patient consults lend themselves to a virtual experience, particularly those where an examination or test is needed on the spot.Ěý

But one e-health provider we spoke to claims that up to four in every five (80%) GP presentations can be managed online – particularly for common health issues such as coughs and colds, weight loss, sexual health and emotional wellbeing. It’s also possible to ask for specialist referrals, prescription repeats and medical certificates by email or fax after an online (or real-life) consultation.Ěý

If you’re booking a telehealth appointment with your GP, you must have had a face-to-face consultation in the previous 12 months with the same doctor, or another doctor at the same practice, to be eligible for a Medicare rebate.

All the e-health websites we looked at state clearly that they aren’t for medical emergencies.

You’ll also need decent internet coverage to be able to use these services. Be sure to check the provider’s policies on refunds when it comes to technology failures and problems with connections.

What are the costs?

All Australians with a Medicare card can now use telehealth services from GPs, psychologists, midwives/obstetricians, specialists, dental practitioners in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery, and other covered health professionals – without paying any more out-of-pocket costs than they usually would for a face-to-face appointment.Ěý

If you’re usually bulk-billed at your GP clinic, your telehealth appointment with your GP will be bulk-billed too. If you usually pay a gap, you’ll have to pay the same gap for your telehealth appointment.

Claiming on insurance

If you have extras insurance, you may also be able to claim on your telehealth appointment. Many health insurers are now offering increased coverage for telehealth services, letting you claim on a telehealth appointment in the same way you would for a face-to-face visit. Check with your insurance provider to see whether they cover telehealth services and, if so, which ones.

How long will the new telehealth rebates continue?

Medicare-subsidised telehealth services were introduced in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many other forms of economic support introduced for the same reason, the new telehealth inclusions on the Medicare Benefits Scheme are described as ‘temporary’.Ěý

The Australian government recently announced that, as part of the 2021–22 Budget, it will invest more than $114 million into extending telehealth until the end of the year. But, as yet, there’s no guarantee it will be extended into 2022.

Finding online consultation services

For most people, the best way to access telehealth is simply to ask your GP or other healthcare provider whether they offer it. If they don’t, you may want to use one of the online-only companies that offer consultations to all Australians.Ěý

Remember, to be eligible for a Medicare rebate for a telehealth session with a GP you’ll need to have had a face-to-face appointment with the GP (or another GP in that practice) in the past year. This means you won’t get a Medicare rebate for sessions booked through these online-only services.

GP2U

offers online consultations (they also have an app for iOS and Android) with GPs for diagnosis, specialist referrals, prescriptions and medical certificates. The service also offers prescriptions faxed to the nearest chemist or a delivery service.

Cost: Registration is free and requires a Medicare card, contact number and email address. Consultation prices are set by individual GPs and are based on the length of the appointment. An average consultation lasts 15 minutes and typically costs $50­–69.

Health Now

offers video and phone consultations (it also has an app for iOS and Android) with Australian-based GPs 24/7, as well as psychologists and specialists practising endocrinology, cardiology, psychiatry, paediatrics, neurology, rheumatology, respiratory, haematology, immunology and geriatrics.Ěý

The 24/7 doctor service provides medical consultations and advice, medical certificates and prescriptions, if needed. The psychologists provide stress, anxiety and depression management, long- and short-term therapy and counselling, assessments, life coaching and treatments for various mental-health issues. Specialists are available with a referral from your GP.

Cost: These range from $79 for a doctor’s consultation to $180 for a 50-minute session with a psychologist. Specialist prices vary.

Doctors on Demand

provides video conferencing 24/7 for medical consultations, prescriptions and medical certificates from a GP, as well as sessions with a psychologist or dietician. An app is available for iOS and Android.

Cost: Doctors’ consultations cost $60 during business hours and $90 out of hours. Psychology sessions start from $168 for 60 mins (these are eligible for a Medicare rebate). Dietician appointments cost $195 for 60 mins during business hours.

Instant Consult

offers a range of GP services including consultations, medical certificates, prescriptions, specialist referrals and more. An app is available for iOS and Android.Ěý

Cost: Consultations cost from $35 (less than 10 minutes) to $105 for a longer consultation of more than 40 minutes.Ěý

Other online health assistance

If you’re not quite ready for a virtual doctor’s appointment, there are still plenty of apps and websites to help you get ahead before you get into the waiting-room queue.

Symptom checker and service search

The government-supported website contains a wealth of information on health topics from pregnancy and ageing right through to general health. It also gives in-depth information on medicines and services.

If you’re feeling off-colour, the site has a symptom checker that virtually triages users according to their symptoms. The program collects basic data such as your age and sex, before asking a series of detailed questions about your symptoms. It will then recommend whether you should see a GP, call an ambulance or go to a hospital.Ěý

The site lets you search for GPs, hospitals, dentists, pharmacists, emergency departments, COVID-19 services and allied health practitioners according to the postcode you’ve entered.

Health Direct also has a 24-hour phone service (1800 022 222) staffed by registered nurses who can connect you to an after-hours GP helpline if you need. There’s also a separate phone line for pregnancy, birth and baby advice (1800 882 436).

Cost: Free.

How to find out emergency-room waiting times

Waiting times at the doctor’s surgery or hospital can sometimes stretch to hours. But these handy sites and apps can help you dodge the worst of the waits.

ACT

can give you up-to-date information on the average waiting time over the previous two hours and the number of patients currently waiting in emergency departments.

NSW

Visit to see the number of patients being assessed by a triage nurse and waiting for treatment for all major hospitals.

NT, Queensland and Tasmania

You’ll be relying on good fortune rather than data to dodge the long wait, as there’s little live information available. But you can check with the relevant health department in that state for more information.

SA

Get updates every 30 minutes on the number of patients in the emergency and inpatient areas at . The site also gives the average waiting time over the previous two hours for the state’s major public hospitals.

Victoria

You can’t access live data but gives you estimated waiting times for major hospitals.

WA

Real-time information is available at for each of the metropolitan hospitals in the state that has an emergency department.

Home visits

The National Home Doctor Service (13SICK)

provides urgent after-hours medical care to patients at home in most capital cities. The service offers bulk-billing for all Medicare users and Gold DVA cardholders.

You can book by phone (13 74 25) or using the app (iOS/Android).

How to find a GP near you

Most of us have a preferred GP and, when it’s not an emergency, are happy to wait a few days until they have an available slot. But what if you can’t wait a day or two? Online booking services let you view the available appointments in your chosen area in real time and make a booking ASAP.

Although these sorts of booking services can be convenient, it pays to be wary about sharing your information. In 2018, it emerged that one of these providers, Health Engine, had shared users’ information with personal-injury law firms and other third parties. So it’s best to take care with what you reveal when you book your appointment, and only share what is strictly necessary to make the booking. And, of course, always read the terms and conditions before you agree to them.

Health Engine

The website and app (iOS/Android) lets you view in real time the available appointments with participating GPs, dentists, physios and more, then make a booking.

Cost: The service is free, but it does send direct marketing communications including post, telephone calls, SMS or email to customers who register for the service (although you can choose to opt out).

Ozdocsonline

lets patients ask participating GPs for online appointment bookings, prescriptions, pathology results, referrals and consultations.

Cost: The service isn’t covered by Medicare, but the site claims the average cost of requests is $20.

DocBook

is another website that lets patients browse practices, search by location and make an appointment with a GP. The service is available Australia-wide (excluding the Northern Territory), although the choice of participating surgeries is fairly limited.

Cost: Free.

Just need a doctor’s certificate?

You’ve woken up on a workday feeling dreadful and call in sick, but you’ll need a medical certificate. The last thing you feel like doing is leaving your bed in search of a doctor to write you a certificate. Thankfully, there are sites that can help you with that too.

Qoctor

will set you up with a video consultation with a GP to discuss the issuing of a medical certificate, prescription or a referral to a specialist. If you need a medical certificate, you can download it immediately after your consultation..

Cost: $22.99 and there’s no Medicare rebate.Ěý

Prime Medic

offers video consultations with a GP to discuss the issuing of a medical certificate, prescription or a referral to a specialist. If you need a medical certificate, you can download it immediately after your consultation.

Cost: $19.99. Some doctors are able to bulk-bill patients, but the number of appointments with these doctors may be limited.Ěý

Pharmacies

Some pharmacies such as and various also offer advice and absence-from-work certificates, which may be a cheaper option than using a telehealth service.Ěý

The post Telehealth and other online e-health services appeared first on ĚÇĐÄVlog.

In early 2019, the federal government will set up an electronic health record for all your health data – including sensitive issues like mental health treatments and other conditions you may wish to remain private – unless you opt out by 31 January 2019.

Doctors will be able to access your record to assist in their treatment of you, which could be essential in emergency situations. But security experts warn privacy breaches are only a matter of time.

There’s been a lot of public discussion since the opt-out period started. So we’ve looked into the pros and cons to help you decide if you want in or out.

What is My Health Record?

My Health Record is a digital collection of reports relating to your health, such as prescriptions, doctors records, imaging and other test results. What it means is that instead of having files with every doctor you’ve seen, test results at a pathology lab, prescription records at various pharmacies and so on, all this information will be in one central online location accessible by authorised health professionals.

Relaunch of existing program

Technically what we’re seeing now is the My Health Record Expansion Program. The original Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) program was launched in 2012 as an opt-in system, with low uptake by the public.

The current push is to expand the system by making it opt-out so that by default, everyone has a record made for them unless they specifically request not to have one.

How My Health Record works

The data that will be added isn’t new, but it’s currently stored by Medicare, your doctor, hospital or other health professionals, sometimes in a paper-based system. What’s new is that electronic records will be stored in one central place.

Information can be added to your health record by various health professionals and businesses, government agencies and yourself. It can be accessed by authorised health professionals, such as doctors, pharmacists, hospital staff and allied health professionals (for example nurses or physiotherapists).

The sorts of things that might go in there include doctor’s reports, such as hospital discharge summaries, and results from tests and scans. It also includes all your Medicare claims and you can add your allergies and even an advanced care plan.

You can access and manage your record. You can set a PIN and restrict access to some or all documents stored on the record. You can even connect any health apps you’re using to your record.

In an emergency, health care professionals will be able to override the safeguards to make sure they get all the information needed to provide you with appropriate care.

You may already have a record

Some people may already have a record, having set one up – perhaps without even realising – under the original system (the PCEHR). Almost 6 million people currently have a record. Check if you’re one of them.

If you miss the deadline to opt-out or you already have a record, you can cancel it but your doctor and other healthcare providers may keep copies of any records they have uploaded to your record and store them in their own record-keeping systems.

Benefits and concerns

The main benefit of My Health Record is that all of your and your children’s healthcare professionals will know the medication you’re taking and the conditions you’re treated for.

People who are most likely to benefit are those who:

• have complex health conditions
• take multiple prescription medicines
• get treatment from various doctors and other health professionals
• live in remote and rural areas
• are elderly
• don’t speak English very well
• have difficulty remembering and/or communicating all the details of their medical story.

My Health Record should lead to better and well-coordinated treatment, while preventing unnecessary tests, harmful side effects caused by medication mix-ups, or even avoidable hospital admissions.

There are safeguards in place, so you can manage your My Health Record by installing a PIN and limiting the access to some or all documents to make sure that your emergency contact, carer and healthcare professional only have access to appropriate information.

But security experts warn that centrally stored information always brings the risk that in the event of a data breach there could be serious implications for you. And it would not be the first time healthcare data has been accessed by hackers.

If you can’t decide whether you want to stay in or opt out, you can always opt out now, then rejoin at a later stage.

How to opt out or manage your record

You can use the step-by-step guides on the website, and if you run into trouble call the helpline on 1800 723 471.

Further details are below for different situations.

What the experts say

Medical experts such as the Australian Medical Association, the National Rural Health Alliance and the Consumers Health Forum have welcomed the new system and asked consumers to use the opt-out period to inform themselves about the benefits or otherwise of taking part.

Security experts, while acknowledging the potential benefits of having a centralised record system, warn that the safeguards could be breached which could expose sensitive information.

Medical experts stress the benefits

• Australian Medical Association
• Consumers Health Forum
• National Rural Health Alliance

“My Health Record can save lives”

Australian Medical Association

“The current system of medical records means that we may have incomplete information on a patient – especially if the patient has recently seen another specialist or has been discharged from a hospital. The My Health Record will result in doctors having access to better information, in a more timely fashion, via secure means. Less time chasing up paperwork means more time can be spent treating our patients,” says Australian Medical Association president Dr Michael Gannon.

Consumers Health Forum

“My Health Record is a key step in the shift from health consumers as passive patients, to consumers as active partners in their own care,” says Consumers Health Forum CEO Leanne Wells.

“For too long, healthcare has lagged behind in exploiting the clear benefits of information technology to provide prompt, secure, and precise patient information. For these benefits to be realised and a consumer-centred and digitally enabled healthcare system to become a reality, consumers will need to be involved in using and improving innovations such as My Health Record,” Wells says.

National Rural Health Alliance

“Australians living in rural and remote areas are more likely to end up in an emergency department from a heart attack, car accident or diabetic coma,” says National Rural Health Alliance CEO Mark Diamond.

“If they’re unconscious, and the medical team doesn’t have access to their health history, the team may not be able to provide life saving care,” Diamond says.

“A My Health Record means that all your important health information is at the fingertips of your doctor, nurse or surgeon,” he says. “Simply put, My Health Record can save lives.”

Security experts warn of potential data breaches

• Professor Vijay Varadharajan – Global Innovation Chair in Cyber Security, University of Newcastle
• Professor Katina Michael – School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wollongong
• Dr Cassandra Cross – Faculty of Law, The Queensland University of Technology

“A honeypot of health data, waiting to be hacked”

Professor Vijay Varadharajan – Global Innovation Chair in Cyber Security, University of Newcastle

“Having access to patient records can be highly useful, especially when it comes to requiring them in the case of emergency or even with old age patients. However data security and patient privacy are critical when it comes to healthcare information.

“From a technical point of view, there are access controls in place. However, the data itself, at this stage, is in plain format, it is not encrypted. Hence there is a potential for leakage if a breach occurs. With the growth in malware and security attacks, we cannot rule this possibility out.”

Professor Katina Michael – School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Wollongong

“The type of confidential information stored on an electronic health record is unlike having merely your identity credentials stolen – it is like having your whole personhood exposed in terms of your condition, medication, past acts and more. There are massive implications for those working in pressured workplaces who may have their health record used against them – e.g. pilots, doctors, surgeons, healthcare workers.

“We need to make people aware of the pros and cons of opting-out, but we also need better, more honest reporting by government about some of the potential risks, in essence, to better inform the public. What we have now is a major honeypot of health data, waiting to be hacked for the taking and be available on the dark web.”

Dr Cassandra Cross – Faculty of Law, The Queensland University of Technology

“The current My Health Record places a strong onus on individual consumers themselves to regulate the privacy and security settings of their record. In requiring an ‘opt-in’ model on the privacy settings of the record, this means that many people are unlikely to modify these settings. This may be through a lack of knowledge that the settings exist, uncertainty on how to do this, or an inability to successfully navigate the system.

“There are also genuine concerns over the likelihood of data being compromised in some way. While it is argued that there are strong security measures in place, it is naĂŻve to assert that these are 100% foolproof (as demonstrated through data breach incidents with many previous organisations). Health data is an increasingly common and attractive source of data for criminals, and their ability to use personal information to gain reward is a reality.”

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