Telehealth STI testing · $59 Specialist GP consult
$59Phone consult · Specialist GP calls you anywhere in Australia · pathology referral during the call
Symptoms, recent exposure, or just not sure what to test for? A $59 phone consult with a Specialist GP covers what to test, when to test, and how the result is interpreted. The pathology referral is issued during the call.
Already know what you need tested? The $39 SMS pathology referral is faster — no consult needed. The $59 consult is for when you want a Specialist GP to think it through with you.
Specialist GP — phone consult anywhere in Australia
Pathology referral issued during the call
Same-day appointments often available
Positive result? Treatment arranged — no additional cost
Your Specialist GP calls you at your booked time. The pathology tests themselves are usually covered by Medicare or most Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) plans — no out-of-pocket cost for the lab work. Cost should not be a barrier.
What's included in the $59 consult
The $59 telehealth consult is a phone call with a Specialist GP covering everything you need to think through before testing:
Focused sexual-health history — recent partners, type of sexual contact, any current symptoms
Symptom interpretation if you have any
Review of any prior STI test results you have
Decision on which infections to test for and which sample sites are appropriate (urine, blood, throat swab, rectal swab, vaginal swab)
Wait-time guidance based on when any exposure was
The pathology referral itself — sent during or immediately after the call by SMS
Explanation of how results will be delivered and what they will mean
Anxiety about whether testing is the right next step
If you feel well, know what you need, and are confident about timing — the $39 SMS pathology referral is faster and cheaper. No consult needed.
How the Specialist GP decides what to test
The Specialist GP follows current Australian STI Management Guidelines, tailored to your situation:
Routine screening, men who have sex with men — extended panel including urine, throat swab, rectal swab for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, plus blood tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B
Routine screening, heterosexual patients — 5-infection screen (urine for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, blood tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B)
Recent sexual assault — comprehensive panel with baseline and repeat testing
Chemsex history — extended panel plus hepatitis C if injecting drug use is part of the picture
Pregnancy — standard antenatal screen plus any additional testing needed
Symptomatic presentations — tests targeted to the symptom pattern
UTI testing and treatment can be added to the same consult if relevant — particularly useful where painful urination could be a UTI rather than an STI. See UTI test & treatment for the same-day pathway.
If you have symptoms
The Specialist GP works through likely causes and arranges targeted testing:
Painful urination on its own — could be a urinary tract infection (UTI) rather than an STI; the GP can arrange a urine test and same-day treatment if a UTI is likely. See UTI test & treatment for full detail.
Sores or ulcers — differential includes herpes, syphilis, and non-infective causes; appropriate swab plus blood test arranged
Pelvic or testicular pain — assessment for pelvic inflammatory disease or epididymo-orchitis, both of which need treatment alongside testing
Rash with systemic symptoms — secondary syphilis, acute HIV, or other infectious causes considered
Some symptom presentations (visible lesions, complex pelvic pain) need in-person follow-up — the GP arranges the right pathway as part of the consult.
When to test after a possible exposure
Each infection has a wait time before testing reliably detects it. Testing too early may return a false negative.
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea: 2 weeks after exposure
HIV (fourth-generation blood test): reliably detects at 4 weeks, conclusively at 6 weeks
Syphilis: 3 to 6 weeks after exposure
Hepatitis B: 6 to 12 weeks after exposure
For high-risk exposures, the standard approach is a baseline test now plus a repeat at the appropriate wait time. For HIV exposure within the last 72 hours, the discussion shifts to emergency PEP — book that consult instead of routine testing.
Worried-well consults
Many patients book this consult not because of a specific exposure but because of generalised anxiety about STIs — after reading about an infection, after a partner discloses prior STI history, or after a non-risky encounter that has become anxiety-driving.
This is a legitimate reason to book and the consult is structured around it: focused history, reassurance based on actual exposure risk, the right test panel (often shorter than expected), discussion of what realistic STI risk looks like for different sexual-contact types, and clear guidance on when re-testing is and isn't needed. Many worried-well patients leave the consult reassured without needing the full panel.
Specialised pathways
The consult adapts to your situation:
Chemsex history — extended STI screening including throat and rectal sites, hepatitis C testing if injecting drug use is part of the picture, plus PrEP and DoxyPEP discussion and harm-reduction conversations
Recent sexual assault — baseline-now-plus-repeat testing strategy, PEP discussion if within 72 hours, contraception discussion if relevant, referral to a Sexual Assault Resource Centre for forensic and counselling support if wanted, and follow-up review
Transgender and gender-diverse patients — anatomically-appropriate testing (any combination of urine, throat, rectal, vaginal or frontal swabs depending on what is present and what sexual contact has involved). No assumptions based on stated gender
How fast the consult happens
Same-day phone consults are usually available — often within an hour or two of booking during business hours. After-hours and weekend consults are available through the booking system.
The consult runs for 10 to 20 minutes. The pathology referral lands on your phone by SMS during or immediately after the call. You can attend any Australian pathology collection centre the same day if needed.
For symptom-driven consults where speed matters (current discharge, sores, painful urination), mention the urgency at booking — there are priority pathways for time-sensitive presentations.
Cost — Medicare and OSHC
The $59 Clinic365 fee covers the consult plus the pathology referral. You don't pay $39 separately on top.
The pathology tests themselves are usually covered by Medicare or most Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) plans — no out-of-pocket cost for the lab work.
Without Medicare or OSHC, the pathology lab may charge additional private fees — check directly with the lab you plan to attend. See our fees page for current Clinic365 pricing.
If anything comes back positive, your follow-up treatment consult is at no additional cost — covered by Medicare for most patients, or no out-of-pocket cost if you're not Medicare-eligible. Cost should not be a barrier to treatment.
Confidentiality
Your consult and any tests issued are private. Clinic365 doesn't notify your regular GP, employer, school, or insurer by default. Notifiable infections (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis) are reported anonymously to state Departments of Health for surveillance and contact tracing only — never shared with your social or professional network.
If you'd prefer pathology results not appear on your My Health Record, the Specialist GP can adjust settings during the consult.
Frequently asked questions
The $59 consult covers a focused sexual-health history, symptom interpretation, decision on which infections to test for and which sample sites, wait-time guidance, the pathology referral itself (sent during the call), and what happens next. The pathology referral is included — you don't pay $39 separately. See the What's included section above for full detail.
Book the $59 consult if you have symptoms, a recent high-risk exposure, uncertainty about what to test for, complex presentation, recent sexual assault, or you want to discuss PrEP/PEP/DoxyPEP. The $39 SMS referral is enough if you feel well, know what you need, and are confident on timing. See When this is the right service above.
The Specialist GP applies current Australian STI Management Guidelines tailored to your situation — routine screening, symptomatic presentation, post-exposure, sexual assault, pregnancy, or specialised pathways each have different test panels. See How the Specialist GP decides what to test above for the full breakdown.
The Specialist GP works through likely causes for your specific symptom — discharge, sores or ulcers, pelvic or testicular pain, rash with systemic symptoms — and arranges targeted testing. Some presentations need in-person follow-up; the GP arranges the right pathway. See If you have symptoms above for detail.
Each infection has a wait time: chlamydia and gonorrhoea at 2 weeks; HIV reliably detects at 4 weeks, conclusively at 6 weeks; syphilis at 3 to 6 weeks; hepatitis B at 6 to 12 weeks. For HIV exposure within 72 hours, book emergency PEP instead. See When to test after a possible exposure above.
Yes — this is a common and legitimate reason to book. The consult is structured around reassurance based on actual exposure risk and the right (often shorter) test panel. Many worried-well patients leave the consult reassured without needing the full panel. See Worried-well consults above.
Book the consult now to plan the testing schedule, even though the actual tests will not happen immediately because of wait times. The Specialist GP works through the timeline with you: a baseline test now to establish a known starting point, a repeat at 2 weeks for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, and a repeat at 6 weeks for HIV and syphilis (the conclusive timepoints). If the exposure was high-risk for HIV (specifically: condomless anal sex with a partner of unknown HIV status), book emergency PEP instead — the 72-hour window for PEP matters more than testing logistics.
Yes. The consult adapts to your situation. Chemsex history gets extended STI screening including throat and rectal sites plus hep C testing if injecting risk applies, plus PrEP and DoxyPEP discussion. Transgender and gender-diverse patients get anatomically-appropriate testing with no assumptions based on stated gender. See Specialised pathways above.
Yes — the consult covers baseline-now-plus-repeat testing, PEP discussion if within 72 hours, contraception discussion if relevant, referral to a Sexual Assault Resource Centre for forensic and counselling support if wanted, and follow-up review. See Specialised pathways above.
Same-day consults are usually available, often within an hour or two of booking during business hours. The consult itself runs for 10 to 20 minutes. The pathology referral is sent by SMS during or immediately after the call. See How fast the consult happens above.
