STI testing
Want to stay on top of your sexual health? In Australia, you need a referral from a doctor to access an STI screening test. Once you have a referral, the cost of the laboratory test can be covered/subsidised, if you are registered with Medicare. With Qoctor, it’s discrete, convenient and affordable to get a same day referral. STI test consultations cost $39.99 (urine test), or $42.99 (urine & blood tests), which includes a free follow up consult to discuss your results if you need to!
How it works
- Answer some online questions, then have a phone/video consultation with one of our doctors.
- Once approved by the doctor, download your pathology request from your Qoctor account.
- Print the form and take it to your local pathology collection centre to get tested
- When we receive your results, they’ll appear on your Qoctor account so you can view them.
- When the doctor checks your results, you’ll get an SMS
- Book a free follow-up appointment from your Qoctor account, to discuss the results if you wish/if you’ve been advised to.
- Please note, this is an STI screening service for people who do NOT have symptoms- if you think you have symptoms of an STI, you should see a doctor in person for examination.
About STI Tests
Some STIs don’t have any symptoms, so you may have an infection without even knowing it! This can be a problem as you can pass the infection on to a sexual partner without being aware. If an STI is not treated, you and/or your partner(s) could also end up with long term health issues. Getting regular sexual health check ups helps you to feel safer and more confident in your sexual health.
A urine test can check for common infections such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma Genitalium. For other bloodborne infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B&C, and Syphilis, you’ll need a blood test also.
Important: if you have symptoms suggestive of an STI or are feeling unwell, you will need in-person care. Go to your local doctor or sexual health clinic instead.
*With a valid pathology referral, issued following a doctor’s assessment, laboratories will not charge you for most common pathology tests. This applies to people with a Medicare/DVA card only. If you do not have a valid Medicare card, the lab will generally charge you a fee for processing the test. This fee will vary between different laboratories- you should clarify this with the individual lab before proceeding.
Common Questions and Answers
In Australia, most pathology laboratories/collection centres will only conduct a pathology test if you have a referral from a registered doctor. While some labs can perform a very limited number of specific tests if a patient “self refers” (see below for details), in the vast majority of cases, a pathology referral/request from a doctor is required.
Self requesting blood tests/pathology tests
Most labs do not offer testing based on “self referral” because tests are expensive, and results are often complex to interpret. However there are some limited exceptions:
Dorevitch– No self-referral for blood tests
Australian Clinical Labs– No self-referral for blood tests.
QML Laboratories: Self referral/self request available for Blood Group, Hepatitis serology, MMR (measles mumps rubella) serology, Varicella (Chicken Pox) serology, Quantiferon Gold, Mantoux test, drug screening, alcohol breath test, COVID-19 swab.
4Cyte Laboratories No self-referral for blood tests
Please note that labs may change their policies over time, and the above is a guide only. Check with your local lab for further details.
The time it takes for pathology test results to come back depends on a number of factors. In most cases, it will just take a few business days. This may vary slightly, depending on the type of test, as well as the processing time at the pathology collection centre/laboratory you used. When Qoctor receives your results, and the doctor has checked it, we’ll inform you via SMS and/or email. Most results will also then also appear on your own Qoctor profile, where you can view them.
If you have not received an SMS or email notification about your test result within 1 week (4-5 business days) of having the test, please email Qoctor at info@qoctor.com.au OR use the live chat function on our home page- let us know the laboratory/pathology collection centre you attended, the date of the test, as well as your name and date of birth, and we can chase it up with the lab on your behalf, as soon as possible.
Please bear in mind, that many labs have limited staffing at weekends, so if you contact us at the weekend, we may not be able to access the result for you until they re-open on Monday.
Can I order my own blood tests in Australia?
In Australia, most pathology laboratories/collection centres will only conduct a pathology test if you have a referral from a registered doctor. While some labs can perform a very limited number of specific tests if a patient “self refers” (see below for details), in the vast majority of cases, a pathology referral/request from a doctor is required.
Will I need to pay the laboratory for a blood test?
The Australian healthcare system subsidises the cost of most common pathology tests for Australians who have a Medicare card. Therefore, your Medicare details should be included on the pathology request form. This is to encourage people to speak to their doctor about their health concerns, and to ensure that taxpayers’ money is being used wisely.
Are all pathology tests covered by Medicare?
It’s important to note that some tests are NOT covered by Medicare, or will only be covered a certain number of times per year- your doctor will usuallly flag this with you in advance, and the pathology collection centre will generally draw your attention to this too.
Will I need to pay for a blood test if I don’t have Medicare?
If you don’t have Medicare, you can still get tested using a pathology request form, but you will be invoiced by the pathology laboratory afterwards (be sure to enquire about the cost beforehand). In this case, you may be covered by health insurance and can claim it back- check your policy.
How to get a valid pathology referral
A pathology referral can be obtained by speaking to a registered Australian doctor- this can be a face to face consultation or a telehealth appointment via phone call or video call. Some online providers only assess people via an online questionnaire or SMS, without a phone/video call- this is not best practice and may lead to issues with your Medicare rebates down the track- that’s why it is important to stick with providers who conduct a proper telehealth consult (as Qoctor does).
Self requesting blood tests/pathology tests
Most labs do not offer testing based on “self referral” because tests are expensive, and results are often complex to interpret. However there are some limited exceptions:
Dorevitch– No self-referral for blood tests
Australian Clinical Labs– No self-referral for blood tests.
QML Laboratories: Self referral/self request available for Blood Group, Hepatitis serology, MMR (measles mumps rubella) serology, Varicella (Chicken Pox) serology, Quantiferon Gold, Mantoux test, drug screening, alcohol breath test, COVID-19 swab.
4Cyte Laboratories No self-referral for blood tests
Please note that labs may change their policies over time, and the above is a guide only. Check with your local lab for further details.
With Qoctor, you can request a blood test to screen for HIV, Hepatitis B & C, and Syphilis. These are all serious bloodborne infections, and require specialist treatment if detected. Many people wish to have these tests performed at the same time they are having their urine test for more common sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma Genitalium.
If you receive a pathology request form from Qoctor, you can download it from your Qoctor account, print it and take it to any accredited pathology collection centre of your choice. Your test results will get sent to us by the relevant pathology laboratory, usually a few days after you have the test. Once available, we will display your results on your Qoctor account. For privacy and security, you will need to log in to view results.
Approved Pathology Collection Centres (APCCs)
APCCs are facilities to where patients can take their pathology request form to have their sample/specimen collected for testing in a pathology laboratory. They are linked to accredited pathology laboratories and are subject to ongoing monitoring processes, ensuring the quality of pathology collection services. If you are unsure whether your Pathology Collection Centre is linked to an accredited laboratory, you can look for the NATA/RCPA logos or endorsement certificates, or ask the staff if the lab they work with has NATA/RCPA accreditation. Patients can also refer to the NATA website which lists all Medical Testing laboratories currently accredited in Australia (bearing in mind, the lab may not be in the same physical location as the collection centre).
With Qoctor, you can request to have a urine test for STIs, which checks for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma Genitalium. The consultation fee is $39.99. Results are displayed and viewable on your Qoctor account, once the laboratory makes them available to us. The consultation fee includes a follow up doctor’s consultation with Qoctor within 30 days, if you wish to discuss your test results or if the results are abnormal in any way. If you would also like to have blood tests to screen for HIV, Hepatitis B&C and Syphilis, the consultation fee is slightly higher, at $42.99. Again, a follow up visit is included if you wish to discuss your results or if anything comes back abnormal.
- Simple (urine) UTI test $39.99. Tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma Genitalium.
- Extended (urine and blood) STI test $42.99. Tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma Genitalium, HIV, Hepatitis B&C and Syphilis.
STI Screening with Qoctor can involve tests for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Mycoplasma Genitalium (urine test). Blood tests for Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV are also possible. “Screening” is when you get tested for something when you don’t have symptoms. If you are already unwell or have symptoms suggestive of an STI, you should attend a GP or sexual health clinic in person- requesting a test online is not suitable in those circumstances. But, if you just want a test to ensure you don’t have a silent STI infection, online assessment can be a convenient. effective and affordable option for many people. In Australia, pathology tests generally require you to have a request form from a registered doctor. So, once the doctor has carried out a brief consultation and provided a request form, you can print it and take it to your local pathology collection service. The test results, once made available to Qoctor by the laboratory, can be viewed on your Qoctor account, and/or you can speak to one of our doctors if you need to.
Health Library- Sexual Health
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