If you live in rural or remote Australia, your treatment options may be limited and getting medical treatment may mean travelling long distances. This can be complicated and costly.
If you work, go to school or have other regular commitments, let your manager or teacher know you will be away. They may need to find someone to cover you while you're away.
If you care for a child or someone else, you may need to arrange for their care while you are away. You may also need to continue this extra support after your return, while you recover.
For routine household tasks, ask a friend, neighbour or family member to help. They could:
Remember to take everything you need to your appointment. This includes admission forms, details of medicines or dietary supplements you are taking, test results, x-rays, scans, or medical reports.
You may need to access extra support and services for your travel, stay and recovery. Before you travel, you should consider the following:
Learning as much as possible about your recovery can help you to prepare what you will need after your treatment. Ask your doctor about your recovery time and what support is available. You might be eligible for home support services, depending on your state, age and health.
Read more about care options here:
If you are living with a specific health condition or disability, you may be able to get more detailed information online or from local groups or associations. For example, the Breast Cancer Network Australia offers support in rural areas (Opens in new tab).
Accommodation and travel expenses can be costly. You may be eligible for help with these costs.
All states and territories have Patient Assisted Travel Schemes (Opens in new tab) (PATS) to help eligible patients in rural and remote Australia with the costs of travel. These can help you access specialist medical services not available locally.
Rules and amounts vary, but all PATS schemes help cover:
Some schemes also cover some costs of:
Read about PATS support in your state or territory:
Private health insurers now offer travel and accommodation benefits under hospital cover. These private health insurance benefits generally cover:
Not all health funds offer these benefits. If you have a health fund, check your policy to see what is included. Be aware that cover varies between health funds and policies.
The following organisations may offer help with travel for healthcare:
These organisations provide help with accommodation:
Read more here about rural and remote health services and support.
You might be able to avoid travelling for medical treatment or care, thanks to technology and advances in healthcare delivery.
Telehealth services use video conferencing technology. This means you can talk with a healthcare professional via your computer, tablet or phone and see their image on the screen.
Your doctor might ask your permission to record video, audio or other health information. They can then forward it securely to other medical specialists, who can review it and provide an opinion. Telehealth services can also be used to remotely monitor patients, if required.
Telehealth services save travel time and costs. They can be a less stressful option than travelling a long distance for healthcare. Medicare (Opens in new tab) benefits are often available — check with your health team if they offer telehealth, and if it is right in your situation.
Video Call (Opens in new tab), developed by Healthdirect Australia, allows you to have video consultations with healthcare providers, using your smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. This private and secure service connects you with your healthcare professional from a location convenient to you, such as your home or work.
Telehealth services can also be a convenient way for carers or translators or interpreters to join in healthcare conversations.
If your doctor or medical centre doesn't offer telehealth consultations, you can use the healthdirect service finder to find a provider.
Depending on your needs, ask your healthcare team if you can:
If you need urgent care but can't travel, a virtual care clinic might be able to help.
Look online for a virtual urgent care service. There might be one connected to a hospital in your state. These services help you to get medical care when and where you need it. You may need:
There are virtual emergency centres across Australia such as in:
See healthdirect's online Question Builder for help putting together a list of questions for your health team. If you have a long or difficult journey to reach your doctor, it is especially important to be well prepared, so you can make the most of your visit.
Read more about healthcare options and Australia's healthcare system.
Look for specific rural and remote health services for your state or territory:
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Last reviewed: June 2025
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