Tech platform live for Online GP service

NEWS  - eHealthNews editor Rebecca McBeth

A new digital platform lets patients see and compare GP video appointment providers, pricing and availability in one place as part of Health New Zealand’s Online GP service.

Martin Hefford, acting director community and primary care funding, says Online GP Care was developed to give people another way to access timely healthcare when they can't see their usual GP, need care after hours, are travelling, or can't get a prompt appointment. 

The 24/7 telehealth service was launched in July 2025 and since then has delivered around 115,000 consultations to nearly 86,000 people.

Patients previously had to navigate to each provider's individual website to compare options but the integration means they can now see all providers into one view.

The new platform is enabled by OctansCare, with Whakarongorau as the delivery partner.

Jean Fleming, programme director digital primary care design at Health NZ, says patients can filter appointments by clinician gender, language, pricing, and availability across all eight telehealth providers in a single view. She described the current phase as a shift from a passive listings experience to an active booking one.

Since the tool went live, all available appointments across providers have been booked out before 5 p.m. each day.

"It is amazing what removing that little bit of friction has done for people's ability to just go, 'I'll book it,' rather than, 'I'll navigate to it,'" Fleming says.

Four of the eight providers are fully integrated with the platform, meaning patients can complete their booking details entirely within the Health New Zealand site and then be directed to the provider to make payment. 

She says all eight Online GP telehealth providers will be fully integrated with the booking platform from October onwards. 

Digital delivery manager Courtney Brierly says engagement with the Online GP Care page on the Health NZ website had been climbing steadily in the two weeks before the platform went live, likely driven by school-based promotion of the under-14 fee changes. 

A subsidy update means online GP appointments are free for all children under 14, regardless of whether they hold a Community Services Card.

When the booking functionality launched that existing traffic translated directly into bookings, she says.

One of the next features in development is a "book on behalf" function, which would allow a person to book an appointment for a family member, or enable a health professional to book on behalf of a patient who is with them.

"We have purposefully phased the delivery for this," Brierly says. 

"We wanted to prove value early,  get out the door with something that does help New Zealanders assess which appointment suits their needs best, and then take into account consumer feedback, the uptake, and demonstrate value before we move forward into more functionality."

Hefford says the timing of launching the new platform is intentional.

"With winter pushing demand for care up across the board, this is a good time to remind people that they can get a GP video appointment from home, seven days a week, through this service," Hefford says.

A $3 million NZD investment is supporting pharmacies, rural health providers, and other community organisations to set up private consultation spaces equipped with the technology needed to connect people directly with an online GP.

As of 2 September 2026, 245 pharmacies and 56 rural and urgent care providers have signed up to create these spaces within their services.

To comment on or discuss this news story, go to the eHealthNews category on the HiNZ eHealth Forum

If you would like to provide feedback on this news story, please contact the editor Rebecca McBeth.

You’ve read this article for free, but good journalism takes time and resource to produce. Please consider supporting eHealthNews by becoming a member of HiNZ, for just $17 a month.

Read more Digital Patient news

Return to eHealthNews.nz home page