Three medical defence organisations have withdrawn or limited cover for patient consults that are based purely on instant messages or questionnaires, citing concerns over misdiagnosis.

It follows draft guidelines from the Medical Board of Australia warning doctors against treating first-time patients via “asynchronous” consultations, such as online messaging.

With the rapid rise of telehealth industry, some corporate providers have been charging $15 for text-based consults, mainly for patients wanting repeat scripts.

But the board’s draft guidelines state: “Prescribing or providing healthcare for a patient with whom you have never consulted — whether face-to-face, via video or telephone — is not good practice and is not supported by the board.”