Online Blood Test Requests and Pathology in Australia

Book a $59 telehealth appointment and say what you want tested and why in the questionnaire. Your doctor calls you, works out which tests are actually indicated, and emails you the pathology request. You take it to a collection centre, and no appointment is usually needed for a standard blood draw.

The consultation is $59 and the pathology request comes out of it at no extra charge. What the pathology provider charges for the collection itself is separate and set by them. Medio is a private telehealth service, so there is no Medicare rebate on our consultation fee.

That is decided by the pathology provider, not by us. Where a test is clinically indicated and has a Medicare item number, most of the large providers bulk bill the collection. Tests requested without a clinical indication, and some hormone and vitamin panels, fall outside the rebate and are charged to you. Your doctor will tell you during the call which of the tests you are asking for is likely to sit on which side of that line.

The common requests are a general health check covering full blood count, iron studies, kidney and liver function, cholesterol and blood glucose; thyroid function; vitamin B12 and vitamin D; STI screening; and pregnancy testing. Your doctor decides what is appropriate based on your symptoms and history, and may add or remove tests from what you asked for.

It depends on the test. Cholesterol and blood glucose are usually taken fasting, which means no food and nothing but water for eight to twelve hours beforehand, so most people book the earliest morning slot. Your doctor will tell you during the consultation whether fasting applies to your request, and the pathology request itself states it.

Whichever is convenient. Tell your doctor if you have a preference and the request can be addressed accordingly. Otherwise take the request to your nearest collection centre. Collection centre hours and whether they take walk-ins vary by provider and by suburb, so it is worth checking before you go.

Most routine blood tests are back within one to three business days, though some specialised tests take longer. Results come to the requesting doctor, who reviews them and contacts you. If something needs acting on quickly, you will hear sooner rather than waiting for a scheduled follow-up.

Yes. STI screening is one of the more common reasons people use this service, precisely because it avoids a conversation in a waiting room. Your doctor will ask what exposure you are concerned about and how long ago, because the timing changes which tests are meaningful. Some infections do not show up reliably until a window period has passed, and testing too early gives false reassurance.

You still need a doctor to request the test, because pathology providers do not accept self-referrals for most tests. What this service changes is that the doctor sees you by phone rather than in a clinic. The request that results is an ordinary pathology request and is treated as one by the collection centre.

The doctor who requested them reviews them and contacts you with what they mean and what, if anything, to do next. If the results point to something that needs a specialist opinion, the doctor can write the referral at that point. If they point to something urgent, you will be told to seek care immediately rather than waiting.