Guide
Which Telehealth GP Consultation Phone vs. Video best suits?
14 Nov 2026
Guide
How Long Does a Telehealth GP Consultation Take?
Most OMC Health consultations take 5–15 minutes. Total time from booking to certificate in your inbox: typically under an hour.
5 min readMedically reviewedAustralia-wide
A telehealth medical certificate consultation is usually brief because it focuses on symptoms, relevant history, functional impact and the dates needed for the certificate assessment. The exact time varies depending on complexity and whether the doctor needs more information. A longer or in-person assessment may be recommended if the issue cannot be safely assessed remotely.
Full Timeline, From Booking to Certificate in Inbox
| Stage | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Book online | Select certificate type, enter personal and health details | 3–5 minutes |
| 2. GP queue | Wait for an AHPRA-registered GP to connect | 5–20 minutes |
| 3. Consultation | Real-time phone, symptoms assessed, clinical judgement made | 5–15 minutes |
| 4. Certificate issued | GP issues and signs the certificate digitally (if appropriate) | Immediate |
| 5. Email delivery | PDF certificate sent to inbox | Within 2 minutes |
| Total | Booking to certificate received | 30–60 minutes typical |
Note: These are typical, indicative times based on OMC Health's own operational data; individual consultations may take longer depending on clinical need.
What Happens During the Consultation?
The consultation is a genuine clinical conversation, not a form-fill or questionnaire. The GP will ask about your symptoms, how they began, how they are affecting your work or study capacity, and any relevant medical history. The GP uses clinical judgement about whether a certificate is appropriate, and OMC Health never issues a certificate from a form or questionnaire alone. First time booking? Reading up on how to get a medical certificate online means fewer surprises when the GP asks about your symptoms.
Why consultations aren't completed in under 2 minutes
Every OMC Health consultation is a genuine, real-time clinical interaction; there is no set minimum length. Based on that principle, OMC Health's clinical governance holds that a consultation of only a minute or two is unlikely to allow a GP to properly assess a patient's symptoms, history, and capacity to work or study. Our GPs take the time a genuine assessment needs; it's clinical quality, not speed, that makes a certificate valid.
Phone Consultations vs Video Consultations
Phone consultations are slightly shorter on average, typically 5–10 minutes, because they are appropriate for conditions that don't require visual assessment. Video consultations may take 10–15 minutes because the GP can observe the patient's presentation, posture, facial expressions and visible symptoms. Most sick leave and student certificate consultations are conducted by phone. Carer's leave consults are by phone or video, as the GP decides.
Why OMC Health Is Faster Than an In-Person GP Visit
A traditional in-person GP appointment for a certificate typically involves booking 24–48 hours in advance, 10–40 minutes of travel time, 15–45 minutes in the waiting room, a 5–10-minute appointment, and travel home. OMC Health removes all of those steps. The consultation itself is similar in length; the time saving is in everything else. Unwell outside clinic hours? You can book a consult for an after hours medical certificate in the evening, on weekends or on public holidays.
When Consultations Take Longer
Some presentations naturally require more time:
• Mental health assessments (anxiety, depression, burnout), 10 to 15 minutes, video if the GP needs it
• Post-surgical reviews: more detailed history needed
• Complex multi-symptom presentations
• First-time patients with a relevant medical history to discuss
• WorkCover assessments requiring detailed work capacity evaluation
Book a Consultation
If you need a certificate, OMC Health provides real-time AHPRA-registered GP consultations 7 days a week. From $9.99. Full refund if the GP determines a certificate is not clinically appropriate. So if you fall ill on a Saturday, you can still request a medical certificate on the weekend.
Frequently asked questions
Most consultations take 5–15 minutes. Mental health and complex presentations may take up to 15 minutes. The full process from booking to certificate in your inbox typically takes 30 to 60 minutes. When the GP completes a form, it can take longer than a standard certificate.
Typically 30–60 minutes from the time you book. The booking form takes 3–5 minutes, the GP queue 5–20 minutes, the consultation 5–15 minutes, and the certificate arrives by email within 2 minutes of being issued.
Yes, for a straightforward presentation, 5–10 minutes is sufficient for a genuine clinical assessment. What matters is a genuine real-time consultation, not a minimum duration. OMC Health GPs determine the appropriate consultation length based on the clinical situation.
Generally yes. Phone consultations average 5–10 minutes. Video consultations may be 10–15 minutes because the GP can observe the patient visually. Both are valid ways to consult.
Completing your health details accurately before the consultation helps the GP conduct a more efficient assessment. The clearer your symptom description, the more focused the consultation can be.
