Onboarding GPs and specialists for virtual care

What this is: a step-by-step guide for bringing GPs, specialists and allied health providers on board to deliver virtual consultations using Visionflex.

Who it’s for: project leads, clinic managers, care coordinators, and anyone responsible for engaging external clinicians.

Why onboarding matters

External clinicians are half the consultation. If they are not comfortable with the technology, the workflow, or the patient-end support model, sessions will be clunky, short, or avoided altogether. A smooth onboarding process takes about 30 minutes of their time and saves hours of friction later.

Step 1: Make first contact early

Reach out at least two weeks before go-live. Keep the message short and focused on what is in it for them: better access to their patients, clinical tools during the call, and onsite support from your team.

Send the appropriate invite template from your Comms Kit (GP invite, allied health invite, or specialist invite). Include the go-live date, a link or contact for booking a test call, and a brief description of how the patient-end support works.

If the clinician works across multiple sites, confirm which site and patient cohort you are inviting them for.

Step 2: Book and run a test call

Every external clinician should complete a short test call before their first patient session. This is not optional. A test call confirms that the technology works, that both sides understand the workflow, and that the clinician knows what to expect from your onsite team.

During the test call, cover these items:

• Confirm the clinician can join a session using Vision, Teams, or whatever platform your site uses.
• Check audio and video quality from their end.
• Walk through the session flow: how the call starts, who introduces participants, how consent is confirmed, how the onsite team supports with peripherals, and how the session closes.
• Confirm the documentation and handover process. Where do notes go? Who follows up on actions, referrals, and scripts?
• Confirm the escalation pathway. What happens if the clinician identifies deterioration or a red flag during the session?
• Confirm failover. What happens if the video drops? Agree on a direct phone number for fallback.

The test call also gives you a chance to share the Quick Start Guide and the Pre-session Audio Checklist so the clinician has reference material for future sessions.

Step 3: Confirm the booking and referral pathway

Agree on how sessions will be booked and what information the clinician needs before each consult. This is where most ongoing friction happens if it is not sorted early.

Confirm with each provider:

• Who sends the booking or invitation (your coordinator, the practice, or the clinician directly)?
• What clinical information should be provided in advance (summary, medication list, recent observations, images)?
• What is the expected turnaround for urgent versus routine requests?
• What are the clinician’s preferred days, times, and contact details?
• Does the provider need a referral or does a direct booking pathway apply?

For GPs providing regular rounds or reviews, agree on a standing schedule (for example, every Tuesday morning) so sessions become routine rather than ad hoc.

Step 4: Explain the patient-end support model

Many external clinicians have used basic video consultations before but have not worked with a supported patient-end model. Make sure they understand what your onsite team provides:

• Your team prepares the patient, confirms identity, and obtains consent before the clinician joins.
• Your team can operate peripherals (camera, stethoscope, otoscope, vitals) under the clinician’s direction.
• Your team manages the environment (privacy, lighting, noise, comfort).
• Your team documents the session in the patient or resident record and follows up on actions.

This is a significant step up from a phone call or a basic video link. Clinicians who understand the model use it better and request it more.

Step 5: Share reference material

Send the clinician these resources after the test call so they have them for reference:

• Guide for Doctors connecting over Vision (also available at visionflex.com/support)
• Pre-session Audio Checklist (PDF)
• Your site’s direct phone number for failover if video drops

Keep it to three or four items. Clinicians will not read a 20-page pack.

Step 6: Follow up after the first session

After the clinician’s first real session, check in briefly. Ask whether the workflow felt smooth, whether the pre-read information was useful, and whether anything needs to change. Fix small problems immediately. If the first session goes well, the clinician will come back. If it does not, they often will not.

Common questions from external clinicians

Do I need to install anything? It depends on your site’s platform. Vision runs in a web browser with no install. If your site uses Microsoft Teams, the clinician needs Teams installed or can join via a browser link. Confirm during the test call.

Can I bill for this? Video consultations are eligible for Medicare billing under the current MBS video consultation items, subject to the eligible practitioner rules that apply from time to time. The billing rules sit with the clinician and their practice. Your site does not control or verify their billing. For current item numbers and rules, check MBS Online.

What if I need a physical examination? Your onsite team can operate clinical peripherals under your direction. This includes a general examination camera, digital stethoscope, otoscope, vital signs monitors, ECG, and ultrasound (depending on what your site has available and what staff are trained to use). Discuss this during the test call so the clinician knows what is possible.

What if the patient deteriorates during the session? Follow the agreed escalation pathway. Your onsite team initiates escalation per local protocol. The clinician’s role is to advise and document, not to manage the emergency remotely.

Need help?

Your Visionflex team is here to support your rollout, training and day-to-day use.

Visionflex support: visionflex.com/support | support@visionflex.com | +61 2 8914 4000 (9am to 5pm AEST)

Visionflex acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and pays respect to Elders past, present and emerging.