HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR AFTER-HOURS CARE
Seeking after-hours care when health care services are unavailable
If you’re visiting Queensland as an international student, it can be useful to know about the healthcare services available after-hours, when regular GPs are closed.
House Call Doctor provides after-hours medical care to visiting international students. In most cases, the cost associated with a home doctor can be claimed from your insurer. Here’s how the service works:
- Call 13 55 66, book online or download the free app
- An after-hours GP will be dispatched to your college or on-campus accommodation
- Take the medication that your home doctor prescribes, or follow the treatment plan recommended
- Detailed notes from your after-hours consultation will be sent to your regular GP, or on-campus healthcare provider
- You can focus on recovering
When should I contact an after-hours GP?
House Call Doctor does not treat medical emergencies. In an Emergency, always phone Triple 0 (000) and ask for an Ambulance.
Home doctors treat urgent medical conditions that arise outside of clinic hours. Examples of acute symptoms that need medical attention may include serious cold and flu symptoms, fever and gastro, asthma and allergies, headaches and earaches, rashes and infections, or minor traumas like sprains and lacerations.
House Call Doctor operates after-hours from 6pm to 8am on weekdays, after 12pm on Saturday, and 24 hours on Sundays and public holidays.
Can I request a home doctor if I live on campus?
Home doctors provide extra on-campus support. If you live on campus in student accommodation, you can ask your administration to contact an after-hours GP on your behalf. Alternatively, you can phone House Call Doctor directly on 13 55 66, book through the website or mobile app.
Will I have to pay?
If you have Allianz overseas student health cover (OSHC) there’s no out-of-pocket expense. Allianz offers a direct billing service which means House Call Doctor processes the claim on your behalf, so you don’t have to worry about paperwork and can focus on recovering.
Similarly, if you are covered by NIB overseas student health cover (OSCH), there’s no out-of-pocket expense. NIB also offers a direct billing service, which means that House Call Doctor can manage your symptoms and manage your paperwork too.
If you have OSHC cover from another insurance provider, you will initially have to pay an after-hours consulting fee. Many OSHC providers will allow you to claim a percentage of this fee back, however the out-of-pocket cost varies between insurers.
If you do not have OSHC you will have to pay the full after-hours consulting fee. Information about how much is covered by your insurer can be found on Allianz, NIB, Bupa, or Medibank’s websites.
Can I request a doctor that is the same gender as myself?
Yes, if you’d like to request a doctor that is the same gender as yourself for cultural or religious reasons, you can do so upon phoning the after-hours line on 13 55 66.
