Private Medical Review

Bottom Line:

Private Medical is a high-quality provider with an extensive range of services delivered at a premium cost. Its patient-centric and inclusive approach puts the customer first.

Private Medical offers comprehensive and in-depth telehealth services to patients at a premium cost. Services range from GP consults, certificates, referrals and scripts to extended integrative medicine and lifestyle consults and medical assessment reports to medicated weight loss and mental health consultations.

Pros:

1. Thorough assessments, extended consultations, and inclusive services, such as interpreters, are available.

2. Short 15-minute wait times, similar to other premium providers like Hola Health.

3. Comprehensive list of services, including mental health, medicated weight loss and alternative therapies, tourist healthcare, early super access and more.

Cons: 

1. Premium pricing, similar to alternative healthcare provider Greencare’s general telehealth options.

2. Extended hours only, no 24/7 care like at Medmate.

3. No options for more affordable, simple services such as repeat scripts and medical certificates, like at Updoc.

Comprehensive Range of Services with Some Standout Offerings

Private Medical Telehealth Australia offers a broad range of services, including integrated medicine, medicated weight loss, GP reports for early super access, and mental health consults. Its comprehensive approach puts it in the same category as Healthy Life, which also combines general telehealth services with an expanded alternative range.

Prescriptions: Prescriptions can be requested and issued during the doctors’ consults. They are either sent as eScripts by SMS or email, or directly by fax or email to your chosen pharmacy. This service is also available without a Medicare number, for example, for tourists.

Healthy Lifestyle Consults: Healthy lifestyle consults currently include advice and scripts for hair loss and smoking cessation.

Medical Assessment Report Appointments: Medical assessment report appointments are available to obtain an official GP report for early superannuation access. You’ll need to send supporting documentation before your consult.

Doctor Consultation: GP and doctor consults are available as standard 15-minute or extended 30-minute appointments. They include access to scripts, referrals and certificates, as well as management plans in the longer consults.

Specialist Referral: Referrals for specialists, pathology or radiology are emailed or faxed directly to your preferred service provider or to you following a video consult.

Mental Health Plans: Mental health consultations help you access online referrals to psychologists, mental health treatment plans and medication, if necessary.

Weight Loss Support: Medicated weight loss options are available through comprehensive assessments, including a questionnaire, review of your medical history, and consult to determine if additional tests may be required. Private Medical doctors also refer to bariatric surgery specialists. Follow-ups are part of the weight loss program.

Overseas Visitors’ Consults: Overseas visitors’ consults last 20 minutes, allowing the doctor to get a better overview of your medical history and needs without access to digital records. Interpreters are also available on request, and scripts, certificates, and referrals can be made without a Medicare number.

Medical Certificate: Medical certificates can be requested during your video consult and are emailed to you.

Premium Prices and Fast Service

Private Medical’s prices are straightforward and in line with premium providers, such as Doctors on Demand. However, Private Medical offers access to consultations with Medicare rebates for infants, Mental Health Care Plans, smoking cessation, some reproductive health enquiries, and people experiencing homelessness. It also provides consultations and services for people without a Medicare number.

• GP consults have three prices: $69 for standard 15-minute consultations, $130 for extended 30-minute consultations, and $89 for 20-minute consultations for overseas visitors.

Healthy lifestyle consultations, such as smoking cessation and hair restoration, fall under the standard consultation category.

Mental health and weight loss consultations require longer consults, but the former may be available under bulk billing if you qualify for a mental health care plan.

Private Medical does not arrange medication delivery, but can assist by sending your scripts directly to your preferred pharmacy and following up.

Intuitive and Clear Website and Booking Process

Layout & Navigation

It is easy to navigate Private Medical’s website. The information is largely presented clearly and easily found. There are a few inconsistencies and only a few not-quite-intuitive aspects of the layout, for example, the placement of the pricing at the bottom of the service tab in the top menu.

Given the broad range of services on offer, the clarity and simplicity of the website stood out positively to me, as most comprehensive sites, such as Doctors On Demand, are somewhat more complicated to navigate and find information on. On Private Medical’s site, I never had to click or scroll much to find the most critical information.

Language & Descriptions

The website uses easy-to-understand language and also mostly omits marketing speak. It clearly outlines each service option, what’s on offer, and any requirements for patients. For example, it describes the process of accessing weight loss prescriptions and alternative options in specific terms.

Booking Process

The booking process is easy, and both the booking number and a book now button are prominently displayed on most pages. Once you choose to book, the website continues its straightforward and intuitive approach. Not only does it show you where you are in the process, but it also offers a calendar showing all appointment slots, a button that instantly highlights the first available appointments, and a dropdown menu with doctors to choose from. Simultaneously, it shows you the available service options, complete with prices and duration. This transparent approach continues throughout the process, making it easy to change your choices, book for another person, choose not to provide a Medicare card and ensure your GP is informed.

User-Centric Privacy Policy

Private Medical’s privacy policy can be found under “Terms of Use”. It is kept relatively brief but ensures that the reader clearly understands what their rights are and what they can opt out of.

Essentially, it’s a standard privacy policy that describes how Private Medical complies with the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP).

It also outlines the steps the provider takes to keep your records safe through “reasonable physical, electronic, and managerial security methods to help protect against unauthorised access to personal information, such as encryption technologies”.

In line with the service’s empowering and clear language on the site, the privacy policy also warns users that electronically submitted or stored information is always vulnerable to some degree. Furthermore, Private Medical gives users the option to opt out of having some of their information shared with government services, which may be important for some more vulnerable populations.

Highly Commended Customer Service

Private Medical telehealth’s wide range of customer support options includes phone bookings, an international number, fax, email and web form. This sets the provider apart from most other telehealth services, as it is rare to have two numbers and a phone booking option.

It also has extended customer service hours and receives overwhelmingly positive feedback [2] for its helpful staff.

Also, the service is inclusive and available for overseas visitors. It offers interpreting services, access to most services without a Medicare card, assistance for people experiencing homelessness, and more.

The standout is Private Medical’s 4.8-star Google Reviews [2], which contain no negative comments about service quality at the time of my review. The only negative review mentions problems connecting with the service outside of its opening hours – when its 24/7 partner [1], Afterhours Doctor Australia [3] should be contacted.

Premium, High-Quality Service with a Customer Service Focus

From its comprehensive range of services and inclusive yet high-quality approach to its outstanding customer service, Private Medical delivers on its premium prices. While none of the consults are bulk-billed, rebates are available for many of them, including for infants and people experiencing homelessness.

Private Medical has (so far) only received positive reviews for its end-to-end telehealth care, which truly puts the patient at the centre of its approach. The provider is similar to other premium providers but offers specific services, such as assistance with early super access, that are not available elsewhere.

All information on this page is independently researched and verified. We have made every effort to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information in this review. However, please ensure you check the most current pricing and service information before booking. 

Telehealth is recommended in addition to primary care and cannot provide the same accuracy as in-person physical assessments by your GP. Consult your primary healthcare provider for comprehensive and personalised medical advice.

[1] https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?id=71654908602

[2] https://share.google/BNg0bMPj6WqecczsA

[3] https://www.afterhoursdoctoraustralia.com/