Patient guide · Reviewed May 2026
Finding a GP for GLP-1 Monitoring in Australia
If you got your GLP-1 prescription from a telehealth service, you almost certainly had a 3-minute initial consultation, a script, and an explanation of how to inject the medication. You probably did not receive a comprehensive metabolic assessment, a FIB-4 calculation, a liver elastography referral, a dietitian referral, or a detailed monitoring plan.
This is not unusual. It is a systemic problem. And it is why finding a GP who actively manages the monitoring side of GLP-1 therapy is one of the most important clinical steps you can take.
Published 2026-05-01 · Clinically reviewed 2026-05-31
Patient guide · Reviewed May 2026
What a Telehealth GLP-1 Consultation Actually Provides
The major Australian GLP-1 telehealth platforms — Juniper, Moshy, Pilot, and others — operate a streamlined, digital prescribing model. Their clinical scope…
The major Australian GLP-1 telehealth platforms — Juniper, Moshy, Pilot, and others — operate a streamlined, digital prescribing model. Their clinical scope typically includes:
- Initial eligibility assessment (BMI, relevant comorbidities)
- Prescription and dose escalation schedule
- Management of GI side effects during dose escalation
- Follow-up messaging for dose progression
- Optional blood tests as an add-on in some services
What is typically not provided:
- FIB-4 calculation from a blood panel
- Liver elastography referral if FIB-4 is indeterminate
- Kidney function monitoring with UACR
- Thyroid function baseline and annual monitoring
- Dietitian referral and CDM plan
- Cardiovascular risk assessment
- Full metabolic panel interpretation in clinical context
This is not necessarily a criticism of the telehealth model — it is a structural reality of digital prescribing at scale. The monitoring gap is real and documented.
What a Monitoring GP for GLP-1 Patients Actually Does
A GP who properly manages GLP-1 patients goes beyond prescribing. They provide the clinical infrastructure around the medication:
Before starting GLP-1 therapy:
- Full metabolic blood panel including liver function, kidney function, thyroid, lipids, HbA1c, full blood count
- FIB-4 score calculation
- Liver elastography referral if FIB-4 is indeterminate (1.3–2.67)
- Dietitian referral via Chronic Disease Management Plan
- Baseline blood pressure, weight, waist circumference
At 3 months:
- Repeat ALT, AST — assess for transient enzyme changes
- Repeat kidney function — check for dehydration-related changes during dose escalation
- Review weight, blood pressure, side effects
- HbA1c if diabetic
Annually:
- Full metabolic panel
- FIB-4 recalculation
- Repeat elastography if previously indeterminate (to assess treatment response)
- Lipids, thyroid, kidney function
- Review dietitian involvement
This is the standard of monitoring care recommended in the September 2025 MJA consensus statement and the 2026 ADA Standards of Care.
Patient guide · Reviewed May 2026
The Chronic Disease Management Plan — Your Key to Subsidised Allied Health
The Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan — formerly the Enhanced Primary Care plan — is a Medicare mechanism that provides rebates for up to five allied…
The Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan — formerly the Enhanced Primary Care plan — is a Medicare mechanism that provides rebates for up to five allied health consultations per calendar year for patients with chronic conditions.
GLP-1 patients with MASLD, type 2 diabetes, or obesity as a chronic condition typically qualify. The CDM plan covers:
- Dietitian consultations (the most valuable for GLP-1 patients)
- Exercise physiology
- Physiotherapy
- Psychology
- Podiatry
How to access it: Ask your GP specifically: "Can you create a Chronic Disease Management Plan for me that includes a dietitian referral?" The GP prepares a brief document and refers you to an allied health provider. Medicare rebates approximately $55–$75 per consultation, leaving a gap of $30–$100 depending on the provider.
Most patients on GLP-1 medications who have a genuine GP managing their care — not just a telehealth script — qualify for a CDM plan. Many telehealth patients have never been told this option exists.
What to Ask Your GP at Your First Appointment
If you are going to see a GP for GLP-1 monitoring, come prepared with these specific requests:
I'm on [medication] and I want to make sure I have the right monitoring in place. Can you:
- Run a full metabolic blood panel including liver function (ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin, albumin), kidney function (creatinine, eGFR, UACR), thyroid (TSH), lipid panel, and HbA1c?
- Calculate my FIB-4 score from those results?
- Refer me for liver elastography if my FIB-4 is between 1.3 and 2.67?
- Set up a Chronic Disease Management Plan with a dietitian referral?
- Note this as an ongoing GLP-1 monitoring relationship with 3-month and annual review points?
Any GP familiar with the September 2025 MJA consensus statement and the 2026 RACGP guidelines on metabolic health will recognise every one of these requests as standard clinical practice.
Patient guide · Reviewed May 2026
Telehealth GPs vs In-Person GPs for Monitoring
Telehealth GPs can provide monitoring blood test orders, referrals, and CDM plans just as in-person GPs can. The practical advantages of telehealth GPs for…
Telehealth GPs can provide monitoring blood test orders, referrals, and CDM plans just as in-person GPs can. The practical advantages of telehealth GPs for GLP-1 monitoring:
- More likely to be familiar with GLP-1 prescribing and monitoring
- Easier to schedule regular review appointments
- May bulk bill via Medicare for established patients
The practical advantages of an in-person GP:
- Can perform physical examination (blood pressure, abdominal assessment, weight measurement)
- More naturally integrates into a broader care team
- May already have your medical history
The ideal is a GP — telehealth or in-person — who sees managing GLP-1 monitoring as part of their clinical scope, not an add-on. The simplest test: ask whether they will calculate your FIB-4 score and refer for elastography if it's indeterminate. A GP who does not know what FIB-4 is needs clinical education before they can monitor you effectively.
When to Escalate Beyond GP to a Specialist
Your GP manages the majority of GLP-1 monitoring appropriately. Specialist referral is appropriate when:
Hepatologist or gastroenterologist:
- FIB-4 above 2.67 (high risk of advanced fibrosis)
- Liver elastography above 10 kPa (significant fibrosis)
- Known MASH requiring specialist management or Wegovy under the TGA MASH indication
Endocrinologist:
- Complex diabetes management alongside GLP-1
- Thyroid abnormalities on TSH testing
- Hormonal conditions complicating metabolic management
Cardiologist:
- Established cardiovascular disease discussing PBS Wegovy eligibility
- Heart failure (either type) starting GLP-1 therapy
- Cardiac symptoms developing after starting GLP-1
Dietitian:
All GLP-1 patients ideally — via CDM plan. Dietitians Australia recommends referral on every GLP-1 prescription.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GP if I'm on Ozempic from telehealth?
Yes — a telehealth prescription provides the medication but not the monitoring. A GP managing your GLP-1 monitoring provides liver assessment, kidney function checks, thyroid monitoring, dietitian referral, and annual review. The September 2025 MJA consensus statement recommends this monitoring for all GLP-1 patients with metabolic risk factors.
Can my telehealth prescriber monitor me properly?
Some telehealth platforms offer blood test add-ons, but comprehensive monitoring — including FIB-4 calculation, elastography referral if indeterminate, CDM plan with dietitian referral, and annual review — is typically not part of a telehealth GLP-1 service scope.
What should my GP check on GLP-1 medications?
Liver function (ALT, AST, GGT), kidney function (creatinine, eGFR, UACR), thyroid (TSH), lipid panel, HbA1c (if diabetic), and FIB-4 calculation. Plus physical review: blood pressure, weight, waist circumference. See the full monitoring schedule at /glp1-blood-tests-australia.
Is GLP-1 monitoring covered by Medicare?
The blood tests required for monitoring are bulk-billed through a GP consultation with appropriate clinical indication. Liver elastography does not have a Medicare item number for most MASLD indications. Dietitian consultations are subsidised through the Chronic Disease Management Plan (up to 5 consultations per year).
How do I find a GP who understands GLP-1 monitoring?
Ask directly when making an appointment: "Do you manage GLP-1 patients including liver monitoring with FIB-4 and elastography referral?" Most GPs familiar with the 2025 RACGP and MJA guidelines will understand this. If the practice cannot answer this question, find one that can.
MJA consensus statement September 2025; RACGP GLP-1 and metabolic health guidelines 2026; Medicare CDM plan guidelines; Dietitians Australia position statement 2026; ADA Standards of Care 2026.
This article is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your GP or a specialist about your individual health circumstances.
Next step
Find a liver elastography clinic near you
Search participating clinics across Australia, or talk to your GP about a baseline FIB-4 and elastography.