Patient guide
Online doctor, GP practice or emergency room?
The quickest appointment is not always the right appointment. Online care is useful when the problem can be assessed through history and video. A practice visit is better when the doctor needs to examine, measure or test. Emergencies should bypass both queues.
Updated 20 September 2026 · 4 minute read
Choose an online GP
Video may suit a non-emergency problem, a medication question, a stable chronic-care review or symptoms where advice and triage are the main need. It also works well when travel or time away from work makes a practice visit difficult.
Choose an in-person GP
Book face-to-face care when the problem is likely to need examination, vital signs, a swab, blood test or a procedure. If you are unsure, an online GP can direct you, but that first call should not delay necessary examination.
Go straight to emergency care
Chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, stroke symptoms, major injury, severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, poisoning, seizures or a rapidly deteriorating patient need urgent assessment. Call 10177 or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for an online doctor to become available.
What happens if video is unsuitable
A responsible telehealth service should be clear when it cannot safely manage the problem. At hiDoc, the clinician records whether telehealth was appropriate and explains the next step. A video consultation judged clinically inappropriate from the outset is not charged.