Patients and Providers Drive Telehealth Standards through National Survey and Round Table

Patients Australia today released its National Telehealth Standards Survey – the largest patient-led consultation of its kind – capturing the views of more than 5,000 Australians on safety, quality, and trust in telehealth. The findings provide the first large-scale patient perspective to directly inform the development of national Telehealth Safety and Quality Standards being led by the Australian Telehealth Standards Consortium. 

The survey results were presented this week at a major Telehealth Standards Round Table held on Monday 27 October, marking the next step in developing these standards. Convened by Patients Australia through the Australian Telehealth Standards Consortium, the Round Table brought together leaders from across the telehealth and virtual care sectors to refine the draft framework that will guide safe, high-quality, and patient-centred virtual care in Australia. 

Consortium members include Healthdirect; insurers Medibank, HCF, and Bupa; and telehealth and digital health innovators nib Group’s Honeysuckle Health, Updoc, Eucalyptus, Healthengine, MedAdvisor, MOSH, Medmate, 13Sick, and Wesfarmers Health. Round Table guests included Telstra Health, HotDoc, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, SANE, Movember, MS Australia, Arthritis Australia, and Canteen. 

Findings from the survey show that while most Australians are highly satisfied with telehealth, they want stronger safeguards around quality, consent, and data use. Patients support national safety and quality standards, clear referral pathways and follow-up care, explicit consent processes for data sharing and AI use, and transparency about who is responsible for their care. Respondents also emphasised the importance of identity verification, strong privacy protections including no data sales, even in aggregate deidentified format, and maintaining human oversight in telehealth consultations. 

Round Table discussions focused on key areas of alignment and complexity – including advertising and marketing standards, accreditation pathways, and practical mechanisms to strengthen safety, quality, and transparency in virtual care delivery. 

Patients Australia CEO Lisa Robins said the Roundtable marked a pivotal step toward consistent, evidence-based standards across the telehealth landscape. 

“This Roundtable was an opportunity to bring the sector together to challenge, refine, and strengthen what safe and trusted telehealth should look like,” Robins said. “The level of collaboration and shared purpose in the room shows how committed everyone is to building a system that puts patients first.” 

Patients Australia Digital Health Ambassador and Consortium Chair, Richard Skimin, said the event reflected the sector’s readiness to turn ideas into action. 

“Our focus has always been on building something practical that patients and providers can both stand behind,” Skimin said. “This Roundtable was about taking that next step – translating the principles of safety, quality, and trust into something tangible that will set a benchmark for virtual care across Australia.” 

Insights from the Roundtable will inform the finalisation of the Telehealth Safety and Quality Standards and the design of a national accreditation framework, set for release in early 2026. 

ENDS 

For further information or media requests:  

Richard Skimin 

Digital Health Ambassador and Consortium Chair, Patients Australia  

media@patients.org.au  

About Patients Australia 

Patients Australia is a leading independent not-for-profit organisation championing the rights of patients across Australia. We’re here to ensure that patients’ voices are amplified and their needs prioritised within the healthcare system. Our organisation drives significant improvements in patient care, advocating for greater transparency, accessibility, and quality within Australia’s healthcare landscape. By actively engaging with health consumers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, we empower patients to create a more responsive and equitable healthcare system for all Australians.