healthdirect (1800MEDICARE)
healthdirect, also known as 1800MEDICARE nationally and NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria, is a government-funded virtual health service that provides free access to health advice and information via a website, app and telephone helpline to connect consumers to the right care at the right time.
helpline
The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in all Australian states and territories.
The helpline phone numbers are healthdirect on 1800 022 222, 1800MEDICARE on 1800 633 422 and NURSE-ON-CALL on 1300 60 60 24.
Callers to the helpline are triaged by registered nurses who ask a series of clinical questions. Based on the urgency of their situation, callers are advised how to manage their health issue. This advice may range from information to assist them in looking after themselves at home to advice on the type of medical help they need and may include connecting them to the appropriate health service, such as GP, a virtual care pathway or urgent care.
In an emergency, the caller is transferred directly to Triple Zero (000).
Callers are offered an SMS containing a summary of the advice provided during the call along with a link to a personalised webpage which provides additional information, including appropriate local health services. This information can be used for future reference and to support discussions with other health professionals.
Virtual GP
Callers to the helpline who are advised by the nurse to see a GP within 24 hours may be offered a telephone or video call back from a GP.
Virtual GPs can provide an e-prescription via SMS and can also upload prescriptions and a call summary to the caller's My Health Record so it is available to their regular GP. This pathway is available 24/7 in some states.
Urgent care clinics
The helpline can connect callers to the various urgent care services available across the country, offering an alternative to attending an emergency department.
Urgent care clinics can deal with a range of illnesses and ailments that require urgent attention. A helpline nurse may advise a caller whose situation is urgent but not life-threatening to visit an urgent care clinic and, for eligible callers, the nurse can make an online appointment at the nearest clinic.
Virtual emergency departments
In several states, helpline nurses can connect callers to a virtual ED pathway for a telehealth consultation. These are free services for non-life-threatening emergencies where patients can access emergency care 24/7 via a video consultation (provided by the healthdirect Video Call platform). The service is staffed by emergency physicians, GPs, registrars and nurses who can advise patients on the care they need.
Each state service is slightly different, with services that provide care pathways for children and adults. The paediatric clinicians assess, treat and refer care based on each child's needs and co-design care plan with parents and carers.
healthdirect digital channels
The healthdirect website allows people who are looking online for health information and advice to check their symptoms, find health services and access trusted health information.
The website has more than 2,300 pages on a range of health topics, 8,000 pages of medicines information, a dedicated COVID-19 information hub and a suite of online tools, including:
The free healthdirect app allows people with Android and iOS mobile devices to access healthdirect's information, tools and resources on the go. Favourite content searches and results from the healthdirect Symptom Checker can also be saved in the app.
The content on the healthdirect website is developed in collaboration with accredited writers, clinical experts and production companies using best practice health literacy principles. This process ensures the content is safe, accurate, appropriate and accessible to a broad audience and range of literacy levels. Each page aims to be informative and provide clear direction on next steps and where to go for further information.
Healthdirect Australia partners with more than 270 expert health organisation websites to link visitors to the healthdirect website with more specialised information about a range of health issues.
healthdirect Symptom Checker
The healthdirect Symptom Checker is an online tool that allows people to check their symptoms and get advice using a simple self-guided triage process. It is underpinned by strict clinical governance and evidence-based clinical decision support technology.
The Symptom Checker is integrated with the healthdirect Service Finder to connect users with appropriate local health services if they are advised to seek medical attention.
Learn more about the healthdirect Symptom Checker.
healthdirect Service Finder
The healthdirect Service Finder helps people find local health services anywhere in Australia. The online tool provides detailed information about 7,400 general practices, 6,000 pharmacies and 5,400 COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
The healthdirect Service Finder is the consumer-facing interface of the National Health Services Directory.
Each service listing includes useful information such as location, contact details, opening hours, bulk billing availability, wheelchair accessibility and available parking. Users can book appointments online where the clinic or service provider has integrated booking engine functionality into the National Health Services Directory.
Medicines information service
Accessible via the healthdirect website and app, a consumer-friendly medicines section comprises more than 10,000 pages of information on medicines registered for use in Australia, which are searchable by brand name, and more than 2,500 searchable by active ingredient.
Learn more about the medicines information service.
Question Builder
The Question Builder is an online tool that helps people prepare for a medical appointment by creating a personalised list of questions to ask their health professional, and suggests questions they may be asked by the health professional.
The Question Builder was developed in collaboration with the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.