What to expect from your first consultation
A plain look at how a first video consultation with a clinician unfolds.
A first consultation can feel like a step into the unknown. Knowing how it runs takes the edge off. Here is what a first video consultation with a registered Australian clinician involves.
Before the appointment
Most people complete a short online health assessment beforehand. It is not a diagnosis and it does not guarantee any particular outcome. It simply gives your clinician a head start, so the time you spend together can go further.
During the consultation
The consultation itself is a live video conversation. There is no rush to reach a conclusion. Broadly, it tends to cover:
- Your history and your goals. What has changed, what you have noticed and what you are hoping to understand.
- The whole picture. Sleep, energy, nutrition, movement, stress and relevant clinical context, considered together.
- A considered next step. This may be advice, a lifestyle change, monitoring, a referral, further investigation, or, where clinically appropriate, a program shaped around your circumstances.
It is worth saying that a program is only one possible outcome. A consultation that ends in reassurance, or a referral to another service, is just as valid.
After the consultation
If ongoing care is appropriate, it is reviewed over time rather than set once and forgotten. With your consent, your clinician can also help coordinate with your GP, who remains an important part of your care.
A note on telehealth
Telehealth suits many concerns well, but not all of them. Your clinician may recommend in-person assessment, urgent care, GP review, a referral to another practitioner, further investigation or no treatment, depending on your circumstances. The aim of a first consultation is to understand your situation clearly. You then decide together what is useful next.
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Whether any form of support is appropriate is determined by a registered Australian clinician after a consultation.
Our approach How one plan comes together What it looks like when care is built as one plan, then reviewed over time by a registered clinician. Read more 
Wellbeing Small changes, sustained over time Why modest habits, held steadily, tend to outlast dramatic overhauls. Read more 
Our approach Why the whole system matters Looking at the body as a connected whole rather than a single symptom. Read more Reading is a good start.
When you are ready to move from reading to understanding your own health, a short assessment is the quiet first step.
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