Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of digital healthcare, particularly in the space of virtual consultations. As telehealth services continue to scale across Australia and globally, AI tools are enabling medical professionals to deliver faster, more accurate, and highly personalised care.
Virtual consultations were once limited to simple video calls, but today, thanks to AI, they can include pre-screening, diagnostics, and even mental health assessments, all without the patient leaving their home. AI doesn’t replace the expertise of health professionals; rather, it augments their capabilities by handling data, identifying trends, and supporting clinical decisions.
Let’s explore how AI is reshaping virtual consultations across five critical areas of healthcare delivery.
AI’s role in diagnostics is among the most transformative aspects of virtual consultations. By analysing vast datasets such as patient history, symptoms, and imaging, AI algorithms can detect patterns that might elude even experienced clinicians. This is particularly useful in remote settings, where access to specialists may be limited.
Australia is home to Harrison.ai, a pioneering healthtech company based in Sydney. Its joint venture Annalise.ai has developed one of the world’s most comprehensive radiology AI platforms. These tools can identify hundreds of medical findings in chest X-rays, offering near-instant insights that assist radiologists and GPs during teleconsultations.
Meanwhile, Coviu, an Australian telehealth platform spun out of CSIRO’s Data61, is integrating AI modules that assist in real-time diagnostics during virtual consultations. For example, speech pathology assessments powered by AI can detect communication issues during a video call, allowing therapists to provide immediate feedback and treatment plans.
These advances mean consultations are no longer reactive; they’re data-rich, precise, and proactive, giving healthcare providers the tools to deliver a higher standard of care remotely.
One of the criticisms of virtual healthcare is the potential for patient disengagement. Without the physical presence of a practitioner, consultations can feel impersonal. AI is addressing this by creating more interactive and tailored virtual consultations that adapt to individual needs.
For instance, the Healthdirect Symptom Checker, operated by Healthdirect Australia and backed by the federal government, helps patients self-assess their condition before they even speak with a GP. This not only empowers patients but also ensures clinicians begin consultations with more context, making sessions more focused and efficient.
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are also playing a key role. These tools can answer common questions, track medication adherence, and follow up on symptoms, all in natural language. Platforms like Coviu are working toward incorporating more of these features to personalise the patient experience even further.
By helping patients feel more understood and supported, AI is increasing trust and engagement in virtual consultations, making remote care a more viable long-term solution.
Healthcare providers often spend a significant portion of their time on administrative duties, time that could otherwise be spent with patients. AI is stepping in to automate many of these tasks within virtual consultations, vastly improving efficiency.
Speech-to-text AI, for instance, can transcribe conversations in real time, allowing doctors to focus on the patient rather than typing notes. International tools like Nuance’s Dragon Medical One and Suki AI have already made significant inroads in hospitals and clinics around the world, and similar capabilities are being localised for Australian practitioners.
Locally, Coviu is evolving its platform to support AI-driven administrative features such as digital intake forms, real-time documentation, and post-consultation summaries. These tools are not just time-savers—they also reduce the risk of error, ensure consistent recordkeeping, and facilitate smoother follow-ups.
For rural and regional clinics, where staffing is often limited, the automation of these administrative tasks during consultations can significantly reduce pressure and improve service delivery.
Australia’s vast geography makes equitable access to healthcare a persistent challenge. AI-powered virtual consultations are helping to close the gap between metro and rural areas by delivering consistent, high-quality care no matter the postcode.
Healthdirect Australia exemplifies this mission. Its AI-enhanced triage system supports Australians across the country by guiding them to the most appropriate care options, whether it’s self-care, a GP consult, or emergency services. This ensures that critical cases are prioritised while routine concerns can be managed through virtual consultations.
Coviu is also widely adopted across remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services, aged care facilities, and regional hospital networks. Its AI features, such as pre-consultation screening and image analysis, allow clinicians to offer the same quality of care virtually as they would in person.
As 5G networks and NBN services continue to improve, AI-fuelled virtual consultations will become even more essential in rural and remote health, supporting better health outcomes across all demographics.
AI tools are proving to be invaluable during consultations by supporting clinicians with real-time decision-making insights. These systems are capable of scanning medical records, guidelines, and research databases to provide up-to-date suggestions, alerts, and warnings as the consultation progresses.
For example, a GP may be alerted to potential drug interactions, gaps in immunisation, or flagged for chronic disease risks based on a patient’s medical history. This allows for immediate, evidence-based intervention, all within the flow of the virtual consultation.
Australian company Harrison.ai is developing tools that are designed to integrate with electronic medical records (EMRs), providing decision support tailored to the needs of Australian health professionals. These innovations allow clinicians to practise confidently, knowing their choices are being supported by data and predictive modelling.
The integration of AI into clinical workflows doesn’t diminish a practitioner’s judgment; it enhances it, offering an additional layer of safety, accuracy, and confidence in every consultation.
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