How it works
How a High Ground consult works.
At High Ground, care starts with being heard. A registered nurse calls you at a time that suits you and listens to your whole story. Then your doctor, who has reviewed it first, talks it through with you, usually within 24 hours. Those first two calls together are your $0 initial consult, and each one runs as long as your care needs. High Ground is Australia wide, supporting patients in every state and territory.
At a glance
Here’s each step, from the first few minutes online to your follow up consults, with who calls you, when, and how long each call usually takes.
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No card needed
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Start online
Questionnaire, consent, booking and your intake form.
About 5 minutes
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Your $0 initial consult
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Nurse call
At the time you chose. Same-day times are usually available.
15 to 20 minutes
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Doctor consult
Usually within 24 hours, and sometimes the same day.
15 to 20 minutes
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$28 follow up consults
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Follow ups
Booked in your patient portal, when it suits you.
15 to 20 minutes
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Before your first call.
How do I get started?
You start online with four short steps, which take about 5 minutes in all.
A 2 minute anonymous questionnaire, no email needed.
Sign consent. Your secure record is set up and you agree to how High Ground works.
Book your nurse call. Same-day times are usually available, and no card is needed.
Complete your intake form. Your medical history, ready for your practitioner before you meet.
If you can’t continue after the questionnaire, your answers aren’t stored.
Who can use High Ground?
High Ground is for adults aged 18 and over who are in Australia, in every state and territory. Your doctor confirms what applies where you live during your consult.
Do I need a referral from my GP?
You don’t need a referral from your GP. You can book directly online, at a time that suits you.
What do I need to have ready?
You don’t need to gather anything before your first call. Have your phone with you at the time you booked, somewhere you’re comfortable talking. If your nurse needs extra information, such as records from another provider, they’ll explain what’s needed and how to get it.
Can a carer join my call?
Yes. A carer or support person can join your calls with High Ground. This needs to be arranged before the call, with your written consent.
Your calls.
Who calls me, and when?
A registered nurse calls you at the time you chose when you booked. Your nurse listens to your whole story and writes it down.
At the end of the call, your nurse books your doctor consult with you. It’s usually within 24 hours, and sometimes the same day. If extra information is needed first, your doctor consult is booked once it’s in hand. Your doctor reviews your history before the two of you speak, so the conversation picks up where you and your nurse left off. Your nurse call and your first doctor consult together make up your $0 initial consult.
What days do nurses call?
High Ground nurses are available on weekdays, between 9am and 5pm AEST (Queensland time). The booking calendar shows each time in your own time zone.
What if I miss my nurse call?
Your nurse tries to call you three times at the time you booked. If we can’t reach you, High Ground sends you an email to follow up, and you can rebook your nurse call in your patient portal. If you miss your first doctor consult, contact our team by email or through the contact form on our website to rebook it.
Is it a phone call or a video call?
Every High Ground consult is a phone call with a person. You can ask questions as you go, from wherever you’re comfortable.
How long do the calls take?
Each call with High Ground usually takes 15 to 20 minutes, including follow ups. Your consult runs as long as your care needs.
What happens in the doctor consult?
Your doctor talks through your history and your goals with you and makes a clinical decision about your care. That decision is recorded with the reasoning behind it, and you’ll finish the call with a clear next step.
What are the possible outcomes?
Your doctor decides what’s appropriate for you. That might be a treatment plan, a different approach, or a referral elsewhere. The $0 initial consult costs the same whatever your doctor decides.
Will I see the same doctor at my follow ups?
Yes. Follow ups are always with a doctor, and your doctor reviews your history before each consult. If your doctor leaves High Ground, we’ll move your care to another doctor and let you know.
After your consult.
What happens after my consult?
If your doctor issues a prescription, you choose which licensed Australian pharmacy it goes to. High Ground can suggest one, or you can name your own, and we send it there electronically. The pharmacy sets its own prices and confirms the cost with you before dispensing. Our pricing page explains what our fees cover.
After your doctor consult, we send you a text message so you can ask for a call back if you need one. Your doctor will suggest when they’d like to speak with you next.
Can I change my appointment?
You can reschedule any appointment in your patient portal, including your first nurse call and your first doctor consult. Follow up consults can be cancelled or rescheduled at no cost up to 24 hours before the booked time, and the full rules are on our pricing page.
Will my GP be told?
High Ground keeps your GP in the loop if you’d like us to, and that’s your choice. If you ever stop using our service, we’ll send a copy or summary of your records to your GP or another provider you nominate, when you ask.
What happens to my records?
Your clinical record is held by High Ground and stored in Australia. With your consent, an AI transcription tool writes up each consult for your notes, and no audio is kept. A member of our team reviews the write-up before it’s used, and AI isn’t used to make clinical decisions about you. Electronic prescriptions are recorded in your My Health Record by default, and you can use My Health Record’s own controls to choose who sees them. Our privacy policy sets out who can access your information and how.
How do follow ups work?
Follow up consults are $28 each. You book them in the patient portal, with the questionnaire already behind you. Choose a time that suits you, then pay to confirm. You can book a follow up at any time, and your doctor will suggest how soon they’d like to see you.
How do I reach someone between consults?
Send High Ground a message through our contact page or email hello@highgroundclinic.com, and a person from our team aims to reply within 2 business days. For anything urgent, call 000.
Where can I read more?
Our FAQ answers the questions we hear most, switching clinics covers moving to us from another clinic, and questions to ask a telehealth clinic is a checklist for choosing any clinic.