Why wait in line when you can get Pathology Referrals online? Our fully qualified doctors can help you get the Pathology tests you need without the wait.

Why might you need a Pathology Referral?

Pathology tests provide crucial insights into your well-being, but the starting point is always the test request. It’s essential to get these requests from qualified doctors. Why? A qualified doctor ensures that the tests you undergo are relevant, safe, and in line with your health concerns. An incorrect or unnecessary test can lead to confusion, added costs, and even potential health risks.

How to get a Pathology Referral through Instant Consult

  1. Book an Online Consultation: Download the Instant Consult App and sign up for an account or log in. Click on the “Request a Consult” button and follow the prompts. The first available doctor will connect with you within 15 minutes.
  2. Speak to Your Doctor: Tell your doctor your symptoms, medical history, medications, and any information that can help them assess your health needs. If deemed clinically appropriate, they will issue you a Pathology Referral.
  3. Get Your Pathology Referral: Your Referral will be sent to your Instant Consult inbox immediately after the consult. It will stay there until you opt to delete it.
  4. Send Your Referral: You can send your Pathology Referral to your nearest Pathology Centre by opening the document in your Patient Inbox and selecting the ‘share’ option at the bottom of your page. Alternatively, you can print the Referral and submit it to the Pathology Centre in person.

What happens after I have done my Pathology Tests?

  1. Results for Pathology will be sent directly back to our clinic. However, we advise that you contact us as soon as your pathology tests are done with the name of the pathology clinic you attended so our staff can actively follow up the results for you.
  2. Once your results are received, we will notify you via text, email and app notification to request a consult to discuss the results with any of our doctors. You do not have to have a consult with the original referring doctor, all doctors you connect with will be able to review your results. Make sure you do not book another consult until you have received confirmation from us that we have received your complete results. If you need to check, please call support on 1300 003 310 or email us at support@instantconsult.com.au.
  3. Alternatively, during your initial consult you can request for your results to be sent to your usual practice where you can discuss your results with your regular GP. You may also ask your regular GP to request the results directly from the Pathology clinic. We cannot send you your results directly unless they have been reviewed by a doctor first.

Frequently Asked Questions

For Pathology tests being carried out to be bulk-billed, they need to meet the criteria as set out by the Department of Health and Medicare. If you do not meet these criteria, you are still able to have a Pathology Referral issued to you, however the pathology service will be privately billed.

Please note that even if the Referral you are issued is marked as ‘bulk-billed’ it is ultimately up to the specific Pathology clinic you attend and Medicare’s own bulk-billing criteria on which tests and procedures can and will be claimed.

Yes, we are unable to send you a copy of your Pathology results without discussing them with the doctor first. If you wish to have a copy of your results, please request them to be sent to you during your follow up consultation.

Yes, follow-up consults do incur another consultation fee.

Yes. During your initial consult you can request for your results to be sent to your usual practice where you can discuss your results with your regular GP. Alternatively, you can ask your regular GP to contact the Pathology clinic and have them request your results be sent to them. Please note we cannot send your results to your GP ourselves.

Yes. In order to have your results reviewed by one of our doctors, you must:

  1. Create an Instant Consult account.
  2. Let us know the date you had the test done, where you had the test done, and what tests were conducted. We can then obtain a copy and add it to your Instant Consult patient record. We will notify you via text, email and Instant Consult notification once we have received your results.
  3. Request a consult through Instant Consult and any of the doctors will be able to see your results and discuss them with you.

Fees are for the consultations itself – not what medical documents are issued to you. Just like any consultation if you were to visit a local medical clinic, we cannot guarantee what medical documents or advise the doctor will issue you. You will have to have a consultation where the doctor will ask about your health history, symptoms and any other details required, so they can make an informed decision as to whether or not the consult will result in a medical document being supplied.

Consults are covered by Medicare and are bulk-billed with a valid Medicare card for patients under 12 months of age only.

Medicare stipulates we cannot bulk-bill any patients who are not under 12 months of age.

If you are not eligible for a bulk-billed consult, the following private fees are applicable and not rebateable by Medicare:

Consultation Cost
Standard Consult (less than 10 minutes) $45
Long Consult (more than 10 minutes) $55

Pathology Referrals issued by a Doctor at Instant Consult can be used and any reputable Pathology Centre. Please use an internet search engine (e.g. Google) to locate your preferred Pathology Centre near you.

Pathology Referral forms can be used up to 12 months from your consultation.

  • Blood Tests:
    • Full Blood Count (FBC): Measures various components of the blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
    • Blood Chemistry Tests: These include tests like liver function tests, kidney function tests, and lipid profiles to assess organ function and lipid levels in the blood.
    • Glucose Tests: Used to diagnose and monitor diabetes.
  • Urine Tests: Urinalysis: Examines the composition of urine and can help diagnose conditions such as urinary tract infections or kidney disease.
  • Microbiological Tests: Cultures of blood, urine, or other body fluids to identify infectious organisms.
  • Pap Smear (Cervical Screening Test): Screens for cervical cancer and requires regular referral for women aged 25 to 74.
  • Biopsy and Histopathology: Tissue samples are examined under a microscope to diagnose or assess conditions like cancer or inflammatory diseases.
  • Genetic Testing: Genetic tests for conditions like hereditary disorders or predispositions to certain diseases, such as BRCA1/BRCA2 testing for breast cancer risk.
  • Hormone Tests: Hormone levels can be measured to diagnose conditions related to the endocrine system, such as thyroid function tests.
  • Immunological Tests: Includes tests for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or tests to assess immune system function.
  • Serology Tests: Detect antibodies in the blood, used for diagnosing infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis.
  • Allergy Testing: Skin prick tests or blood tests to identify allergies and sensitivities to specific allergens.
  • Coagulation Studies: Assess blood clotting ability and can be important for patients on anticoagulant medications.
  • Cancer Marker Tests: Blood tests like PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) for prostate cancer or CA-125 for ovarian cancer.
  • Cardiac Enzyme Tests: Measure specific enzymes in the blood to diagnose or monitor heart conditions like heart attacks.
  • Heavy Metal Testing: Detects the presence of heavy metals like lead or mercury in the body.
  • Stool Tests: Used to diagnose gastrointestinal conditions, including infections, inflammation, and blood in the stool.
  • Sexually transmitted disease (STD): Used to diagnose and screen for various sexually transmitted infections. Common STD tests include:
    • HIV Testing: To detect the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS.
    • Syphilis Testing: To diagnose syphilis, a bacterial infection.
    • Chlamydia Testing: To detect chlamydia, a common bacterial STD.
    • Gonorrhea Testing: To diagnose gonorrhea, another bacterial STD.
    • Herpes Testing: To identify the herpes simplex virus (HSV), which causes oral and genital herpes.
    • Hepatitis B and C Testing: To detect these hepatitis viruses, which can be transmitted sexually.
    • HPV Testing: In some cases, to screen for human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to genital warts and certain cancers.
    • Trichomoniasis Testing: To diagnose trichomoniasis, a parasitic infection

Some collection centres may be able to perform certain pathology tests without a doctor’s referral. However, in most cases, you’ll need a referral to ensure you get the right tests for your needs. A referral is also necessary for Medicare coverage.

No. Using a pathology referral more than once with the appropriate exemption is considered fraud against Medicare.

Instant access to chat with a doctor with a comprehensive range of services

With Instant Consult, you can chat with a doctor and get help for a wide range of medical requests, all from the comfort of your home!

1

Medical Certificates

Are you too ill to come into work and need to give your boss a medical certificate? With Instant Consult you can chat with a doctor and get a medical certificate sent directly to your app’s inbox, all without getting out of bed!

2

Prescriptions

If you need a new prescription or need to update an ongoing one then you can use our app to instantly chat to a doctor who can prepare your prescription promptly!

3

Referrals

If you have a medical condition that needs treatment from a specialist, one of our GP’s can send a digital referral straight to your app’s inbox.

4

Pathology Requests

If you need a blood cell count or to check for STDs/STIs or need any other kind of bloodwork you can easily get a pathology request sent to your inbox by any of our fully licensed online GPs. You can then take the request to the clinic of your choice.

5

Radiology Requests

If you require any special kind of diagnostic imaging such as a CAT scan or an MRI you can get a request from one of our online GPs which you can then take to your preferred provider.

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