Telehealth GP for Repeat Prescriptions

How to Obtain Your Repeat Prescription Without Leaving Home

Life’s busy. With work, family, and all the other demands that life throws at us, it can sometimes seem like a chore to have to keep popping in at the surgery just to collect a repeat prescription – particularly if you’re only after a prescription you’ve been taking for months.

Telehealth GP for Repeat Prescriptions

Fortunately, telehealth has made this a reality. Many repeat prescriptions can now be sorted online via a video consultation with your GP. No waiting room, no driving around town, just a quick chat and your script sorted.

However, not all medicines can be ordered online, and there are guidelines as to what is eligible. Knowing what is possible and what isn’t will save you time and frustration.

The actual services covered by Telehealth Repeat Prescriptions

Repeat prescriptions through telehealth appointments are typically easy to obtain if you have been on a stable medication for some time and there have been no changes in your health.

Typical medications that are effective via telehealth include:

• regular blood pressure medication
• cholesterol medication
• asthma inhaler
• contraceptives

In short, anything that you’ve been on for a long time without any problems.

Your GP will check your records, make sure you’re still taking the medicine and pass the prescription to your pharmacy. Simple.

The main requirement is that you have had a face-to-face consultation with your GP or a previous telehealth consultation. They can’t prescribe blind; they need to know who you are and have a little medical history.

What Definitely Needs an In-Person Visit

However, there are some instances where telehealth is simply not enough. If you need a new medication or a change to your existing medications, you’ll need to come in.

Your GP should thoroughly examine you, may need to do tests, and talk to you in person about the options. This is especially true if you’re experiencing new symptoms or if your current medication isn’t working the way it should.

If you have not taken a medicine before, or if you need to take a medicine regularly, such as some antibiotics or powerful painkillers, you will need to attend a face-to-face appointment.

Certain medicines are also limited and can only be prescribed face-to-face or under certain conditions. Your GP will inform you if this is the case.

Telehealth GP for Repeat Prescriptions Belconnen

The Telehealth Repeat Prescription Process is designed to work as follows

1. You make an appointment with your GP for telehealth, typically 10–15 minutes. They’ll ask how you’re getting on with your current medication.
2. They’ll check your file to make sure nothing’s changed medically and that you’re due for repeats. It will be a brief conversation, a few questions and you’re done.
3. Your GP then electronically sends the script to your pharmacy and you collect it when it suits you. Some pharmacies will even deliver to your home.

It takes minutes, so it’s great for those who are time poor or live a fair distance from their GP.

Why your GP should see you first

The doctor cannot be called up on the phone and ordered to repeat the prescription. There’s a relationship and history that must be established first.

Your GP should know you, have reviewed your medical history, and have verified that the drug is working for you. This is not just a formality; it’s real safety.

Your GP would detect this if you were taking a high dose of BP medication and your BP had not been monitored for several years. Telehealth is a repeat of work when you’re stable, and things are going well.

Telehealth GP for Repeat Prescriptions Canberra

Medicare and Telehealth Repeats

The positive message is that Medicare will cover most telehealth repeat prescription consultations. Typically, you will only have to pay a gap fee, although many GPs bulk bill these shorter appointments.

Before booking, it may be worth checking with your GPs about the costs, but it is likely to be the same or less than coming in.

FAQs

Is it possible to obtain antibiotics via telehealth?

If your GP knows you well and you have taken the antibiotic in the past, some can be prescribed by telehealth, but most antibiotic courses will require a face-to-face appointment. Your GP should check you to ensure that the antibiotic is the right one for you. It’s partly about safety, and partly about the prevention of antibiotic resistance – and that’s a real public health problem. Your GP may be able to prescribe the same antifungal medicine that you’ve already used for thrush if you’ve had repeated infections. If you’re looking for a new infection, you’ll have to come in.

What is the time length of a telehealth repeat prescription appointment?

Typically takes 10-15 minutes for a simple repetition. Your GP will review your file, ask how you’re doing and if all is well, pass the script on. It’s quick because no examination is required; it’s just that they’re saying things are stable. If there are complications or questions, it may take a little longer, but this is rare for a straight repeat.

May I pick up several scripts at the same time?

Absolutely. If you’re on several stable medications and they’re all due for repeats, your GP can do them all in one telehealth appointment. You will just have a slightly longer conversation where they will confirm that each one is still working for you, but it is still quicker and easier than coming in.

What if I need a repeat but my GP isn’t available?

This is where it’s nice to have your medical care all in one place. Sometimes, if your GP is not available for a few days but you are not taking any medicines, you can see another GP at the same practice through telehealth. They will be able to access your file and will be able to help you get sorted. In an emergency, such as you have truly run out of essential medicine, urgent care clinics and emergency departments can also provide temporary scripts.

Do I still need regular check-ups if I get repeats online?

Yes, definitely. Getting repeats via telehealth doesn’t replace regular health checks. Even if you are taking regular medicines, you should have a face-to-face GP review every 12 months. These examinations may include tests that you can’t do remotely, such as blood pressure checks or pathology. Telehealth repeats are appropriate during the time between when things are stable and when things have changed.

In some cases, Telehealth Repeats Make Sense

Telehealth repeats are great for those who are on long-term medications without complications. It will save you time and organize your scripts in a timely fashion.

They are particularly useful if you live a long distance from your GP, if you have long working hours or simply can’t get away. It’s healthcare that’s yours.

However, they cannot be used in place of a health check or a visit to the doctor when something new is happening health-wise.

Schedule Your Telehealth Repeat Prescription

If you are on regular medication and require repeats, then there is no need to waste time coming in. Telehealth repeat prescriptions are easy and fast to arrange at Verity Medical Practice.

Call us at (02) 5104 6406 or (02) 8360 5950 or make an online booking to schedule a telehealth appointment. While you’re busy getting things done, we’ll take care of your scripts and send them to your pharmacy.