As our lives moved indoors and online in 2020, so too did much of our healthcare industry.
Offering everything from birth control and medicinal cannabis scripts to weight-loss drugs or a medical certificate, online health services have continued to boom in popularity since then.
Big names in the multi-million-dollar sector include InstantScripts, UpDoc, Hola Health and Next Clinic, while smaller outlets populate the internet and app stores.
They’re cheap and they’re easy, but whether patients are getting the very best care is a question dividing both experts and regulators.
How patients get a medical certificate online
Many workplaces require staff to provide a medical certificate for days off.
However, with the number of bulk-billing GPs in decline and appointment slots often difficult to come by, many are turning to online solutions.
Young people in particular say they are avoiding the GP because of out-of-pocket costs, and are less likely than older adults to have a regular GP.
Mark Morgan, the chair of the RACGP quality care committee, says online telehealth sites offer “great convenience” for patients seeking affordable care without long wait times.
