Urgent Scripts Review

Bottom Line:

Basic telehealth service site with high prices, especially after hours. Low on information and reviews.  

All services on Urgent Scripts are available post telehealth consultation with an AHPRA-registered doctor. Services include eScripts, medical certificates, and specialist/ pathology/ imaging referrals. Urgent Script appointments can be booked 14 hours a day, every day, with after-hours appointments costing extra. Neither bulkbilling nor medication delivery are available on the site. 

Pros and Cons

Simple Approach to Pricing and Services, Outperformed by Competitors

Pros:

1. All services require a telehealth consultation, in line with AHPRA recommendations for best practice. 

2. Wait time under one hour, some services, such as 13SICK take significantly longer. 

3. 1300 contact number for booking and customer service, available on around half of the competitors I looked at. 

4. Simple pricing structure with only two types or rates: business hours and after-hours.

Cons: 

1. High prices for services, including after-hours surcharge, making it more expensive than most services such as Medmate. 

2. Consultations with AHPRA-registered doctors, not GPs, like on Instant Consult (at a lower cost!) 

3. No medication delivery, no mental health assistance, no bulkbilling, no detailed information on site, which makes Urgent Scripts an outlier in the telehealth industry.  

Available Services

AHPRA-Registered Doctor Delivered Basic Services 

None of Urgent Scripts services are explained in detail on the site, which is unusual in the telehealth space.  

Urgent Script does not offer any bulk-billing. This is not unusual, with similar sites like Instant Consult also offering no subsidised services. 

Online Prescriptions: Scripts are available post doctors’ consultations. There are no further details available on the site, which is unusual for a telehealth service.  Urgent Scripts does not provide repeat scripts. 

Medical Certificate: Medical certificates can be requested via Urgent Scripts.

Telehealth Consultation: Doctors’ consultations are with AHPRA-registered doctors, similar to most competitors, although some, like Our Sage offer telehealth consults with General Practitioners. Urgent Scripts is the only telehealth provider I have come across stating that “telehealth consultations are for minor ailments only.” 

Specialist Referral: Pathology and Specialist referrals can be requested via telehealth consultation. 

Pricing and Speed

Two Premium Flat Rates: Business Hours + After-Hours

The Urgent Scripts site has information on waiting time for telehealth consultations, but it always says, “currently within 1 hour” and does not seem to update. While this is a standard waiting time in the telehealth industry, many providers, such as Hola Health offer faster access to doctors.  
There is no information available on wait times for receiving scripts or referrals posts consultations, which is unusual compared to very detailed explanations on, for example Prime Medic’s site. 
 
While most competitors like Updoc offer medical certificates and repeat scripts at cheaper rates, Urgent Scripts has a flat fee of $75 for all services during business hours and $90 after hours, on the weekend and public holidays. The pricing is at the higher end of all telehealth competitors I looked at, even premium providers like Prime Medic, and much higher than providers with similar services, such as Instant Consult.  
Urgent Scripts states on its site that in line with AHPRA guidelines scripts are only following a consultation. Although this competing site’s reviews clearly show that the site does not actually comply with its own policies.  
 
Urgent Scripts states prominently on its service pages that it “reserves the right to cancel the order and give you a refund if the service cannot be provided”. 

• Doctors’ consultations cost $75/ $90 
• Medical certificates cost $75/ $90  
• Scripts cost $75/ $90 
• Pathology and Specialist referrals cost $75/ $90 

User Experience

Straightforward, Basic Website

• The Urgent Scripts website is simple to navigate but that is because it offers very limited information. It is one of the most basic sites I have looked at.
• Functionality is limited. Clicking on some menu options directly loads a full shopping cart page for all information to purchase a medical certificate or script. This single-step process without medical disclaimer, questions or information on the service before purchasing is highly unusual in the telehealth industry.
• The look and feel of the site with varied fonts, typos and defensive wording. Instead of descriptions of the services, the site states "We reserve the right to cancel the order and give you refund if the service cannot be provided." It also states that "telehealth consultations are for minor ailments only." Which leaves me with questions about what qualifies as minor ailments treatable by Urgent Scripts. 
• Similar to Burst Health, which describes services on its homepage that are not available, Urgent Scripts’ site lists "Tele health specialist consultations" and which are not available to book anywhere, as far as I could ascertain.
• Urgent Scripts’ site lacks information and professionalism, including in the lack of submenus, FAQs or any relevant information on the booking process or service delivery. 

Overall, the Urgent Scripts site feels very basic and simplistic but without making the process simple for the user as a result. With no FAQs or information on the booking process available, the site lacks professionalism and looks like it was designed as an add-on to parent company Physicians SA’s [1] other businesses. 

Privacy and Data Security

Robust Data Security and Privacy Policy 

Urgent Scripts comprehensive privacy policy is available on the site. It clearly outlines compliance with the Privacy Act and how the business handles, shares and stores your data.  

The site has robust security processes in place and “intends” to store your data on servers in Australia, meaning they will not be shared with overseas companies.  

Your data is only used for the purposes intended when you sign up for telehealth consultation and will only be shared with partner doctors and other professionals engaged by Urgent Scripts, where necessary. 

When signing up you do consent to occasional marketing communication, similar to other providers’ policies, such as Instant Consult. You can opt out.  

The site also outlines how to access, request changes or complain about the stored data. The information provided is in line with premium telehealth providers such as Prime Medic.  

Customer Support

Multiple Ways to Contact Customer Service, Reviews Scarce 

Customer support options include fax as well as a 1300 number and email address, making it easier than with some competitors to contact Urgent Scripts. However, customer service opening hours are not specified, perhaps meaning they are the same as consultation hours, as the 1300 number also doubles as a booking hotline. 

There are only 3 reviews available on Facebook, ranking Urgent Scripts at 3.7 out of 5 stars [2], and no reviews available on Product Review or Trustpilot. This is quite unusual, as most established competitors like Updoc have hundreds of reviews (if not thousands) available.   

According to its business registration [3], Urgent Scripts was founded in 2023, meaning it is a relatively new company, and after several physical medical clinics in SA, perhaps as a convenient add-on to their services. 

Provider Centering Around AHPRA-registered Doctor Consults

Urgent Scripts offers consultation-based general telehealth services “for minor ailments” as per its site. Given the high cost for comparable services, such as Instant Consult, which also has all sessions delivered by GPs, rather than AHPRA-registered doctors such as Urgent Scripts, the service offers lesser service quality at higher cost, especially after-hours. Its opening hours are also far more limited than most telehealth services with extended opening hours such as Hola Health. 

While great care is being taken to ensure all content is accurate and up to date at posting, please do your own research before engaging any telehealth provider.  

All telehealth services should only be used to complement the care of your primary doctor. If in doubt about your condition, treatment or medical advice, contact your GP. 

[1] https://physicianssa.com.au/
[2] https://www.facebook.com/urgentscripts/
[3] https://abr.business.gov.au/ABN/View?id=78149857492