InstantMed vs Going to the GP: An Honest Comparison

Let us get this out of the way upfront: InstantMed is not trying to replace your GP. We do not want to, and frankly, we could not even if we tried. Your GP is a cornerstone of the Australian healthcare system — someone who knows your history, manages your ongoing care, and can physically examine you when needed. What we are trying to do is handle the straightforward stuff so you do not have to take a half-day off work to get a medical certificate for the cold you obviously have.

This is an honest comparison. We will tell you when telehealth is genuinely better, when the GP is genuinely better, and when the answer is "it depends." We will use real numbers, not marketing spin.

When Telehealth Wins

There are situations where dragging yourself to a GP clinic is unnecessary, inconvenient, or borderline absurd. These are telehealth's strengths.

• Convenience — You are sick in bed and need a medical certificate. Getting dressed, driving to a clinic, sitting in a waiting room full of other sick people, then driving home does not make you better faster. It just makes you more miserable.
• Cost predictability — You know exactly what you will pay before you start. No wondering whether your GP charges a gap, how much the gap is, or whether the receptionist will surprise you at checkout.
• No waiting rooms — The average GP waiting time in Australia is 20-40 minutes, on top of whatever time it took to get there. With async telehealth, you fill in a form when it suits you and get on with your day.
• After-hours access — InstantMed is available 8am to 10pm AEST, seven days a week. Many GP clinics close at 5pm on weekdays and are not open on weekends. After-hours clinics exist but often have long waits.
• Rural and remote access — If the nearest GP is an hour's drive away, telehealth for a straightforward request is not just convenient — it is practical.
• Repeat prescriptions — You have been on the same medication for years. Your doctor has reviewed it recently. You just need the script renewed. A 15-minute GP appointment for a 30-second clinical decision is not a good use of anyone's time.

When the GP Wins

There are situations where no amount of technology can replace a doctor who can see you, touch you, listen to your chest, and look in your ears. These are the GP's strengths, and they are not trivial.

• Physical examinations — Telehealth cannot listen to your lungs, feel a lump, check your blood pressure, or look at a rash properly. If your situation needs hands-on assessment, see a GP.
• Complex or ongoing conditions — Diabetes management, heart disease, mental health that needs close monitoring. Your GP's longitudinal knowledge of your health is irreplaceable.
• Children — Kids under 18 generally need in-person consultations, especially for prescriptions. Their symptoms can change quickly, and visual and physical assessment matters more.
• Controlled substances — Schedule 8 medications (strong painkillers, certain ADHD medications, etc.) cannot be prescribed via telehealth. Full stop.
• Procedures — Skin checks, wound care, injections, minor surgery. Obvious, but worth stating.
• New or concerning symptoms — If something is new, unusual, or worrying you, a GP who can examine you is the right call. Telehealth is better for known, straightforward conditions.
• Health assessments and screening — Medicare-funded health assessments, pap smears, vaccination programs. These are designed for in-person care.

The Real Cost Breakdown

Cost is one of the most common reasons people consider telehealth, so let us look at the actual numbers rather than vague claims.

• Bulk-billed GP — Free to the patient. Medicare covers the full cost. The catch: finding a bulk-billing GP is increasingly difficult, especially in metro areas. Many practices have shifted to mixed or private billing.
• Private GP (with Medicare rebate) — Total fee typically $60-120. Medicare rebates ~$41 for a standard consult, leaving you with a gap of $20-80 out of pocket. Some practices charge more.
• After-hours GP clinic — Gap payments are often higher, typically $40-100+ out of pocket after Medicare rebate.
• InstantMed medical certificate — $19.95 to $39.95 depending on duration (1-3 days). No Medicare rebate, but the total cost is often less than a private GP gap payment.
• InstantMed repeat prescription — $29.95. Again, no Medicare rebate, but predictable and often comparable to or less than a private GP gap.
• InstantMed general consultation — $49.95. This is where the comparison gets closer to GP pricing. For a complex issue, a bulk-billed GP is clearly cheaper (free). For a straightforward issue at a private GP, it is roughly comparable.
• Specialised InstantMed consultations — $39.95 to $79.95 depending on the type. Competitive with private GP pricing for equivalent services.

The GP Shortage Reality

Here is the elephant in the room: many Australians cannot get in to see a GP when they need to. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has been sounding the alarm for years. GP numbers are declining relative to population growth, bulk billing rates are falling, and rural areas are particularly affected.

In some areas, the wait for a non-urgent GP appointment is measured in weeks, not days. If you wake up sick on a Monday and cannot get a GP appointment until Thursday, what do you do? You either go to work sick (bad for everyone), use an after-hours clinic (expensive, long waits), visit an emergency department for a non-emergency (please do not), or use telehealth.

This is not a criticism of GPs. They are overworked, underfunded, and dealing with increasing demand. Telehealth can take some of the straightforward, low-complexity work off their plate — freeing them to spend more time on patients who genuinely need in-person care.

Quality and Safety: Same Rules, Different Delivery

A question we get regularly: "Is an online doctor as good as a real doctor?" The answer is that an online doctor is a real doctor. AHPRA-registered, with the same qualifications, the same prescribing authority, and the same professional obligations. The difference is delivery method, not quality of care.

That said, delivery method matters. A GP who can examine you will always have more clinical information available than a doctor reviewing a form. For straightforward situations, that additional information would not change the outcome. For complex situations, it absolutely could. Good telehealth providers recognise this boundary and decline requests that need in-person assessment.

The Best Approach: Use Both

The smartest approach is not choosing between telehealth and a GP — it is using both for what each does best. Keep your regular GP for ongoing care, annual check-ups, complex conditions, and anything that needs physical examination. Use telehealth for straightforward, acute needs that do not require hands-on assessment.

• Regular GP check-ups (annually or as recommended) — See your GP
• Ongoing chronic condition management — See your GP
• Sick with a cold and need a certificate for work — Telehealth
• Need a repeat script for a stable medication — Telehealth
• New symptom you are worried about — See your GP
• Something that needs examination (rash, lump, pain) — See your GP
• Cannot get a GP appointment for a straightforward issue — Telehealth
• After-hours need that is not an emergency — Telehealth or after-hours clinic
• Emergency — Call 000. Not telehealth, not a GP clinic.

This is not an either/or decision. The Australian healthcare system works best when each part does what it is designed for. GPs provide comprehensive, longitudinal care. Telehealth provides accessible, convenient care for straightforward needs. Emergency departments handle emergencies. Everyone stays in their lane, and patients get better outcomes.

What We Would Tell a Friend

If a friend asked us "should I use InstantMed or see my GP?", we would ask one question: what do you need? If the answer is a medical certificate for a day off sick or a repeat of a medication they are already taking, we would say use InstantMed. If the answer involves anything that requires examination, ongoing management, or clinical complexity, we would say see your GP.

That is not a sales pitch. It is just the practical answer.