Claiming Telehealth

Patients are eligible for GP and OMP telehealth services if they have an established clinical relationship with a GP, OMP, or a medical practice. This requirement supports longitudinal and person-centred primary health care that is associated with better health outcomes. An established relationship means the medical practitioner performing the service: 

• has provided a face-to-face service to the patient in the last 12 months; or 

• is located at a medical practice where the patient has had a face-to-face service arranged by that practice in the last 12 months (including services performed by another doctor located at the practice, or a service performed by another health professional located at the practice, such as a practice nurse or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker); or  

• is a participant in the Approved Medical Deputising Service program, and the Approved Medical Deputising Service provider employing the medical practitioner has a formal agreement with a medical practice that has provided at least one face-to-face service to the patient in the last 12 months. 

The existing relationship requirement does not apply to: 

• children under the age of 12 months;  

• people who are homeless;  

• patients living in a COVID-19 impacted area;  

• patients receiving an urgent after-hours (unsociable hours) service; or  

• patients of medical practitioners at an Aboriginal Medical Service or an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service.  

A COVID-19 impacted area is one where a person’s movement is restricted by a State or Territory public health requirement that applies to the person’s location. This includes patients subject to quarantine, and other restrictions intended to support infection control.