Telehealth STI/STD test referral · Australia-wide testing
FREEbulk-billed with Medicare
A Specialist GP arranges your test over a quick phone call — they review your symptoms and risk, then send your pathology referral by SMS — a full STI screen covering chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B.
Book a telehealth consult — free with Medicare, or from $79
Get tested at any pathology lab Australia-wide — simply walk in
Results by SMS in 2-3 days — telehealth treatment if positive
Timing matters for an accurate result. Each infection takes time to show up after exposure, so a test done too early can read negative when you are not. As a guide: chlamydia and gonorrhoea from 2 weeks; HIV reliable at 4 weeks and conclusive at 6; syphilis from 3 to 6 weeks; hepatitis B from 6 to 12 weeks. If you are testing soon after a possible exposure, plan to re-test once the window has passed.
A telehealth STI/STD screen. A Specialist GP reviews your situation over a quick phone call and sends a pathology referral to your phone, so you can get tested at any lab in Australia. If you have symptoms, a partner has tested positive, or you have had a high-risk exposure, mention it when you book — the Specialist GP can tailor your tests and arrange treatment if you need it.
What it covers. A five-infection screen — chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are checked from a urine sample; syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B from a blood test.
How it works. Pick a time that suits you and a Specialist GP calls you for a short telehealth consult. They review your symptoms and risk, then send your pathology referral to your phone by SMS. Take it to any pathology lab in Australia — most take walk-ins — and your results come back by SMS, usually in 2 to 3 days.
Add other tests if you need them. The standard screen covers genital sites. If you have had oral or anal sex, chlamydia and gonorrhoea can also sit in the throat or rectum, where a urine sample misses them — you can add a throat or rectal swab in the questionnaire. You can also add Mgen, trichomoniasis, BV or herpes to the same booking. Swabs and add-ons are covered by Medicare and most Private Health Insurers, the same as the base screen.
Cost. The referral and follow-up support are covered. Pathology tests are covered by Medicare and most Private Health Insurers. If you test positive, a Specialist GP calls you and your treatment consult is at no additional cost — cost should not be a barrier to treatment.
Private and discreet. Your referral and results stay between you and the lab. Labs do not disclose why you tested, and we do not notify your regular GP, employer, school or insurer. If you would like a summary sent to your regular GP for continuity, we can arrange that with your consent.
STI or STD? Same thing. “STI” (infection) is the term now used by the WHO and Australian guidelines; “STD” (disease) is the older word. The newer term fits because many infections cause no symptoms at all — which is exactly why testing matters even when nothing feels wrong.
Frequently asked questions
The standard screen covers five infections: chlamydia (urine), gonorrhoea (urine), syphilis (blood), HIV (modern fourth-generation blood test), and hepatitis B (blood). You can add optional throat, vaginal or rectal swabs for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, plus tests for BV, thrush, Mgen, Trich or herpes — see the sections above. Tick the boxes during the 2-minute questionnaire to include them on the same referral.
Book on the website, complete the short risk-check questionnaire. A Specialist GP reviews your information and issues an electronic pathology referral, sent to your phone by SMS within hours. You attend any Australian pathology lab — most labs take walk-ins. Present the referral, give your samples, walk out. Results come back to Clinic365, then to you by email or SMS within 2-3 days.
Each infection has a wait time. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea: 2 weeks after exposure. HIV (modern fourth-generation blood test): reliably detects infection at 4 weeks, conclusively at 6 weeks. Syphilis: 3 to 6 weeks. Hepatitis B: 6 to 12 weeks. Testing too early may give a false negative result. For full timing logic including when to repeat a screen, see our when to test after exposure page.
Any major Australian pathology lab accepts the Clinic365 referral. Most pathology labs are open weekdays with limited Saturday hours — check the centre directly for exact times. Walk-in is fine for urine and blood samples. See pathology collection locations for the nearest lab to you. The pathology lab confirms what you need to bring at attendance.
Pathology labs typically run STI tests within 2-3 days of sample collection. Results return to Clinic365 from the lab, a Specialist GP reviews each result, then you receive results by email or SMS — usually within 2-3 days of the lab receiving your sample, often the same business day. Some confirmatory steps (some hepatitis follow-up tests, second-line syphilis testing) can take 2 to 4 business days for the full result set.
For Medicare-eligible patients pathology tests are covered by Medicare and most Private Health Insurers. No Medicare or insurance? Additional lab fees may apply — check with the lab you attend. Your Clinic365 fee covers the SMS referral and follow-up support if anything is positive.
If anything comes back positive, a Specialist GP calls you to talk through next steps and arrange treatment. Full detail: see STI treatment online.
Yes — your partners can book their own referral on the website, or if a positive result has come back, the Specialist GP can issue partner-notification referrals as part of the STI Treatment consult. The Let Them Know service (Australian-government-supported) allows anonymous SMS or email notification to partners with the relevant test recommendations included, which often increases uptake compared to direct disclosure.
Yes. Pathology labs do not disclose the reason for attendance. Notifiable infections (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis) are reported anonymously to state Departments of Health for surveillance and contact-tracing purposes only — never to your regular GP, employer, school, or insurer by default. The Clinic365 system uses encrypted SMS and email for all communications. A summary letter to your regular GP can be sent with your explicit consent if you want continuity for general medical care.
Mention it when you book — the same telehealth consult covers it. A Specialist GP takes a history, arranges the right tests for your situation, and can arrange treatment if you need it. For a possible HIV exposure in the last 72 hours, emergency PEP is time-critical, so book that without delay.
