How to Do a Video Doctor Appointment on a Tablet in Australia

Seeing the doctor by video call has become a normal part of healthcare in Australia. Instead of driving to the surgery, sitting in a waiting room and driving home, you talk to a doctor face to face on your tablet, from your own armchair. For a repeat prescription, a rash, a chest that will not clear, or simple advice, it can save a tiring trip out.

It sounds technical, but a video appointment is really just a video call, like talking to the grandchildren, with a doctor at the other end. This guide walks through the whole thing on an iPad or tablet, from booking to hanging up, in plain steps. For the wider view, our guide to the best tablets for seniors in Australia compares the main options.

Step by step: your video doctor appointment

1. Decide who you want to see

Start with your own medical centre, because the doctor there knows you and your history. Ring reception or check their website, and ask if they do video or telehealth consults. Most do, and a consult with your own GP is usually covered by Medicare if you have seen them in the past year. If you cannot get a timely appointment, or it is the weekend or the middle of the night, Australia has after-hours and online doctor services. Bulk-billed services such as 13SICK, and other telehealth providers, connect you with an Australian-registered doctor by video. Costs vary by service and by whether you are bulk-billed, so check the price when you book.

2. Book the appointment

Book the same way you would any appointment, by phone or through the practice’s website or app. You will be given a time, and told how the call will happen. Usually it is one of two ways: the practice emails or texts you a link to tap at the right time, or they ask you to download a particular app and sign in. If they mention an app, install it before the day so it is ready and you are not rushing.

3. Get set up a few minutes early

Give yourself ten minutes beforehand. Find a quiet room with a closed door and a comfortable chair, facing a window or a lamp so your face is well lit. Prop the tablet up on a table or a stand at about eye level, rather than holding it, so the picture stays steady and your hands are free. Have your glasses, your list of medications and your questions to hand.

4. Open the link or the app

At the appointment time, tap the link the practice sent, or open the app and sign in. You may see a short wait, like a virtual waiting room, until the doctor is ready. That is normal. If a link came by text or email, make sure it is the one from your real practice or the service you booked with, not a stray message from someone else.

5. Allow the camera and microphone

The first time, the tablet will ask “Allow access to the camera?” and “Allow access to the microphone?” Tap Allow for both. Without them the doctor cannot see or hear you. If you tapped the wrong thing by mistake and the screen stays black, do not worry. Close the app, open it again, and say yes to both when it asks.

6. Talk to the doctor

When the doctor appears, talk just as you would in the surgery. Speak clearly, hold the tablet still, and if you need to show something, like a rash or a sore spot, turn the tablet towards it or hold it closer. Take your time. There is no need to hurry, and it is fine to ask the doctor to repeat anything. Have your questions in front of you so none get forgotten.

7. Sort out what comes next

Before the call ends, make sure you are clear on the next step. The doctor can send a prescription straight to your pharmacy, arrange a blood test, write a medical certificate, or ask you to come in if you need to be seen in person. Write down anything you need to remember. Then simply tap the red button to end the call, the same as any video call.

When a video call is not the right choice

A video appointment suits a lot of everyday health matters, but not an emergency. If someone has chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, or a serious injury, do not wait for a video call. Phone Triple Zero (000) straight away. For urgent advice when you are unsure, healthdirect on 1800 022 222 has nurses available day and night, free, and they will tell you whether to be seen in person. In Victoria, call NURSE-ON-CALL on 1300 60 60 24; in Queensland, 13 HEALTH on 13 43 25 84.

Next steps

If video calling is new to you, our guide on making an iPad easier to use helps with the basics, and downloading an app safely covers any app a practice asks you to install. All of our tablet advice lives on the tablets and iPads hub.