Hola Health Review

Bottom Line:

Responsive and comprehensive 24/7 telehealth service with high ratings and responsive customer service. Bulk billing available for some services. 

High-ranking comprehensive telehealth service focused on video calls delivered by AHPRA-registered doctors. Hola Health offers some bulk-billed services, 24/7 care, fast delivery, and free mental health care plans. The full range of services includes referrals, medical certificates, and prescriptions. The site has a 15-minute consultation delivery promise and also delivers scripts and certificates promptly. 

Pros:

1. Genuine 24/7 provider of telehealth care. 

2. Consultations are via video call, similar to other premium providers like Instant Consult. 

3. Bulk-billing available for some scripts and mental health care plan assessments, similar to Qoctor. 

Cons: 

1. No 1300 hotline/ live chat available, as with other providers, including Prime Medic. 

2. Surcharge for after-hour consultations or long consults, similar to Updoc. 

3. Customers sometimes experience issues connecting with their doctors, perhaps caused by technical issues [1]. 

Comprehensive Services, Including Bulk-Billing on Some New Prescriptions and Mental Health Care Plans

Online Prescriptions: Prescriptions available via telehealth are also grouped into two categories: some are free (via bulk-billing), others require a paid doctor’s consultation. You can find eligible medications in a drop-down list on the site. COVID-19 antivirals are also available for eligible patients at a higher cost. Only a few telehealth providers, such as Abby Health, provide free prescriptions. 

Medication Delivery: Medication delivery is available within two hours 24/7 for most metro areas. Same-day delivery is available for other regions. 

Mental Health Plans: Mental health assessments are 100% bulk billed. If eligible, the doctor can put you on a ten-session Medicare-funded treatment plan. This service is only available on some telehealth websites, including Qoctor. 

Medical Certificate: Medical certificates are available within 15 minutes. They are grouped into school and work/ carer’s leave certificates. Multi-day certificates require a doctor’s consultation. 

Telehealth Consultation: Telehealth consultations are delivered by AHPRA-registered doctors via video call. They are divided into short and long consults and are required for all referrals, multi-day medical certificates, and some scripts. 

Specialist Referral: Specialist/ pathology/ radiology referrals are all certified by GPs within 15 minutes, if your request is approved.  

Fast Consultations and Some Free Services 

Hola Health has some of the shortest wait times for telehealth consultations in the industry, comparable to Instant Consult both in waiting time and price. However, Hola Health’s pricing depends on consult length and timing. Overall, Hola Health provides speedy service while being at the lower end of prices. 

• Doctors’ consultations cost $39 ($45 after hours) for up to 8 minutes and $49 ($55 after-hours) for up to 15 minutes. Available within 15 minutes, like on Our Sage. 
• Specialist/ pathology/ radiology referrals cost $39 ($45 after hours) for a single concern, $49 ($55 after hours) for several. They are certified by a GP within 15 minutes and delivered straight to your phone. 
• Mental health treatment plan assessments are 100% bulk billed for a 20-minute consult. A credit card hold of $63 is placed at booking, which is not refunded if you cancel within 24 hours or fail to attend the appointment. 

• Medical certificates for school cost $14.90 for a single day and for work or carer’s leave $16.90. This puts Hola Health just slightly above some of the cheapest providers, such as Qoctor. Multi-day certificates require a doctor’s consultation ranging from $39 to $55. 
• Prescriptions can be fully bulk-billed for medications on Hola Health’s list for eligible patients. This is an unusual offering not always available on comparable sites such as Prime Medic. Other medications require doctors’ consultations, which cost $39 to $55, depending on length and timing. 
• COVID-19 antivirals cost $59 ($69 after hours). 
• Pharmacy delivery within two hours is available for $5.99 to metro regions – and same day in other areas, making Hola Health one of the fastest 24/7 providers. 

To-The-Point Website 

• Navigating Hola Health’s website is simple. The design and layout are largely intuitive, with individual services available prominently on the homepage as well as via the top menu. Some of the most popular options, such as bulk-billing, are also highlighted. 
• Key information, like pricing, is relatively easy to find, comparable to sites such as DoctorsOnDemand. But the after-hours charges and individual service charges require a few clicks.  
• Hola Health’s website has short and mostly relevant information only. Other than the discount code offer for the first appointment, there is not much marketing information compared to, for example, Hub Health. 
• There are some repetitive parts, where the site highlights various conditions in different ways, but this may be helpful for patients trying to find relevant information. 
• The booking and appointment process is straightforward, but it looks like there may be a few design flaws. Customers on Google Reviews and TrustPilot [1] frequently state that they had trouble with the virtual waiting room and doctor’s call.  
• The FAQs are much less comprehensive than other sites, such as Our Sage. For example, they do not include information on pricing. 

The site is straight to the point and modern. It looks like it is designed with the customer in mind.  

Hola Health Committed to Data Safety, But Does Share Information with Partners 

While Hola Health complies with the Australian Privacy Act, it also shares your information with promoters or third-party providers, as well as overseas companies. This is unusual in the Australian telehealth industry, where most providers do not share information with overseas companies.  

It may be due to Hola Health’s work for companies such as Woolworths, which subcontracts Hola Health to provide its telehealth services.  

The privacy policy outlines Hola Health’s commitments to keeping your data secure and safely stored. It also gives some information on how to contact the service about your data, although it does not outline how to escalate any concerns or appeal. (Which some similarly comprehensive sites, such as Prime Medic, clearly outline.) 

Overall Responsive Customer Service 

Customer service is available via web form, email, and the app 24/7.  

Several thousand reviewers on Google gave largely positive reviews, resulting in 4.2 stars out of 5. They mostly stated that customer service responds swiftly, proactively, and effectively. Refunds are typically received within 5-10 business days. This is one of the most comprehensive samples of reviews and consistently high ranking, comparable to services like Prime Medic. 

However, 88 mostly recent reviews on TrustPilot [1] only give Hola Health 2 stars overall. Many of them state wait times over 15 minutes (closer to one to two hours). Many of the customers had multiple problems, including unsatisfying experiences with customer service.  

In summary, while a majority of customers had very positive experiences, it looks like there have been some recent quality control problems, which customer service did not address promptly. 

Fast, Comprehensive 24/7 Telehealth Service

Hola Health offers comprehensive 24/7 telehealth services with a few bulk-billed options not available on most other sites, such as specific scripts. Pricing is varied, making it accessible, yet somewhat more expensive than, for example, Instant Consult, for after-hour consultations. Consultations are with AHPRA-registered doctors, but according to the service’s homepage, the core team comprises senior doctors and GPs. Besides its 15-minute consultation wait time promise, which it largely delivers on, it also has very fast medication delivery in most areas.  

All information is independently researched and verified. It does not represent medical advice. 

While telehealth is a convenient option approved by the Australian Digital Health Agency, it does not replace your primary doctor’s care.  

Please get in touch with your GP if you have any medical questions or if your symptoms worsen/ are not resolved. 

[1] https://au.trustpilot.com/review/hola.health