Resources for health professionals

1800MEDICARE can support your patients between episodes of care. When a patient contacts 1800MEDICARE, a nurse listens to their concern, conducts a structured clinical assessment using validated decision-support tools, and provides tailored advice, including recommending the most appropriate next step and supporting the patient to act on it. 

For patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and/or who speak a language other than English, interpreter services are available via TIS National (131 450). Patients can call TIS and ask to be transferred to the 1800MEDICARE or 1800 633 422.

Patients who are d/Deaf or Hard of hearing can access the service via the National Relay Service on 1800 555 677.

1800MEDICARE provides a trusted clinical triage pathway for your patients between episodes of care, particularly after-hours or in areas with limited local services. Practical applications include: 

• Including the 1800MEDICARE number in after-hours voicemail messages, discharge instructions, or care plans as an escalation pathway.
• Directing patients who are unsure whether a symptom needs urgent attention to call for nurse-led triage before presenting to ED.
• Providing a trusted point of contact for patients without a regular GP, those who have recently relocated, or those facing financial or transport barriers to access.
• Supporting aged care residents and their families with after-hours clinical guidance, particularly in facilities with limited overnight clinical cover.
• Offering the service to patients with health concerns outside your clinical scope of practice (e.g. allied health patients presenting with an unrelated medical concern).

When recommending 1800MEDICARE, the key points for patients are: 

• It’s a free, 24/7 service for non-emergency health advice and can be access via phone (1800 633 422), website and phone app.
• If they call the phone service, a registered nurse will assess their symptoms and advise on the best next steps. If clinically appropriate, nurses may refer patients to an after-hours telehealth GP consultation (this service is free of charge to the consumer and does not require a Medicare card). 
• If they access the website, they can check their symptoms, find nearby health services, look up information about medicines and find many health resources. 
• If they download the app, patients can view their My Health Record and key health information. If they have an Individual Health Identifier, they will also be able to access any electronic prescriptions and their Active Script List (if they have one).

You may also wish to reference the 1800MEDICARE consumer factsheet and consumer resources as additional information for your patients These resources can be found on the medicare.gov.au/1800 website and provide detailed information on how patients can access the services.

Health professionals can call 1800MEDICARE on behalf of a patient or their family. When you call, let the nurse know that you are a health professional and that you are calling on behalf of your patient. The nurse will work with you to support the patient’s care.

1800MEDICARE is not a provider hotline for MBS or Medicare administrative queries - for those, see the “Useful contacts” section at the end of this document.

• Evidence-based, free health advice, 24/7.
• Structured symptom assessment using validated clinical decision-support tools.
• Advice on the appropriate level and urgency of car.
• Local service information via the Healthdirect Service Finder.
• Immediate escalation to Triple Zero (000) for life-threatening situations, including mental health crisis protocols.
• Encouragement to follow up with the patient’s regular health provider.

Good to know: Nurse assessment is based on information the caller shares during the call - nurses do not have access to clinical records or to the My Health Record.

• Diagnosis and clinical assessment via telehealth.
• Prescriptions, including limited e-prescriptions via SMS.
• Medical certificates, as part of treatment, where appropriate.
• Upload of encounter summaries and prescriptions to My Health Record.
• Consultation notes sent to the patient’s usual GP via secure messaging (with patient consent).

Good to know: Schedule 8 medications and large quantities of regular medications are not prescribed. Prescriptions for patients without an IHI are not available through this service.

The 1800MEDICARE app enables patients to view key health information uploaded by themselves, their healthcare providers, or trusted representatives to My Health Record as well as much more. It’s available for both mobiles and tablets, providing convenient access anytime, anywhere.

Key features for patients

• Store and manage electronic prescriptions and view their Active Script List (known as MySL in pharmacy).
• See medical history, including test results (e.g. most pathology and some diagnostic imagery) as soon as they’re uploaded.
• Access Medicare MBS and PBS information, as well as immunisation history and organ donor registration.
• Links to how to enrol and claim Medicare services on the Services Australia website.
• Manage privacy and access settings within the app.
• Invite trusted helpers to assist with record management.
• Store emergency contact details.
• View multiple records as a nominated or authorised representative.
• Share vaccination and immunisation details.
• Store allergy and reactions information.
• Find and book health services.
• Use the symptom checker and access reliable health information.

Security and privacy

The app is designed with robust security features, including a 6-digit PIN, automatic logout after 5 minutes of inactivity, and compatibility with device-level security such as fingerprints (Android OS version 10 and above). Patients can easily change their PIN if needed and manage privacy settings within the app. 

Electronic prescriptions 

Patients can receive, store, and manage electronic prescriptions directly in the app. When an electronic prescription is sent via email or SMS, the app will prompt the patient to import it if it’s the only app capable of managing scripts. For multiple prescription apps, the token is imported automatically. Patients can view details, import and share prescriptions with representatives or their pharmacist as required.

1800MEDICARE nurses actively encourage patients to follow up with their regular GP. The service supports continuity in several ways:

• With patient consent, 1800MEDICARE GPs send consultation notes to the patient’s usual GP via secure messaging.
• Encounter summaries and prescription records from GP telehealth consultations can be uploaded to My Health Record.

A free after-hours GP consultation is only offered where the registered nurse determines a clinical need to see a GP, the presentation is suited to telehealth, and no other appointment is available within the appropriate timeframe.

1800MEDICARE operates under a rigorous and established clinical governance framework. This includes regular audits of calls against clinical standards, systematic review of escalated and adverse cases, ongoing review of decision-support tools by clinical experts, oversight by a clinical governance committee, and formal accreditation processes. 

If you have a clinical governance concern or believe advice may have contributed to patient harm, a formal provider feedback process is available at https://about.healthdirect.gov.au/contact-us(Opens in a new tab/window).

1800MEDICARE operates under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Patient information shared during a call is used solely to provide advice and is not disclosed to treating clinicians or third parties without consent, except where required by law (e.g., mandatory reporting obligations). 

1800MEDICARE nurses do not have access to My Health Record or any clinical record system. 1800MEDICARE GPs can upload encounter summaries to My Health Record with patient consent.

1800MEDICARE nurses receive training in culturally safe practice. The service is designed to complement Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs) and culturally specific services.

1800MEDICARE is a practical resource for residential aged care facilities with limited after-hours clinical cover, and for residents’ families who have concerns outside staffing hours. Including the number in family information packs and care plans is encouraged.

• MBS queries: askmbs@health.gov.au or mbsonline.gov.au(Opens in a new tab/window) 
• Medicare cards, claims, and administrative queries: servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare(Opens in a new tab/window) or 132 011 
• 1800MEDICARE program enquiries: 1800MEDICARE@health.gov.au 
• Feedback or complaints: https://about.healthdirect.gov.au/contact-us(Opens in a new tab/window)