Winter Seasonal Cycles · 2023–2025
Influenza season increases telehealth demand
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) reported a record-breaking spike of 410,000 flu cases across Australia.
Data from the RACGP [1] shows influenza cases reached record levels during the 2025 winter season. Peak activity occurred between late June and mid-August [2], with infections remaining elevated for longer than in previous years. The increase placed additional pressure on GP clinics and emergency departments. Hola Health’s internal data shows a similar pattern, with telehealth demand rising throughout winter.
Data period: Winter 2023, 2024 & 2025 (Winter months June, July, August) | Source: Hola Health platform data | Published: August 2026
Key findings
Prescription consultations were Hola Health’s fastest-growing service in the 2025 winter, increasing 95% compared with Winter 2024. Overall telehealth consultations increased 20% during the same period, reflecting the broader rise in influenza activity across Australia.
What Hola Health saw
20% more Australians reached for online consults in 2025 winter months
Between June and August 2025, the share of consultations in which the patient sought clinical care for a health problem rose by 20% compared to the 2024 winter. Cold, flu, and COVID-like illnesses are common in winter, matching the consistent 95% growth in script consultations during winter cycles at Hola Health. The typical winter consult is a person who is actually unwell and needs both assessment and the paperwork that follows from it.
Online appointments and scripts keep sick patients out of waiting rooms. This lowers the risk of spreading bugs to other people. It also helps employees get medical advice safely from home. When local family clinics are fully booked, 24/7 digital care bridges the gap. This keeps simple health issues out of busy hospital emergency departments.
National influenza notifications increase each winter, although the timing and severity vary from year to year. During periods of higher community transmission, demand for GP appointments, after-hours services and telehealth also increases. Hola Health’s platform data follows this same seasonal trend.
| External health metric | National data (3rd Party Data) | Hola Health data |
|---|---|---|
| Community Cases | 410,000+ lab-confirmed flu cases nationally in 2025 (RACGP media release, 20 Oct 2025) [1] | +95% surge in winter script consults |
| Seasonal Timing | Influenza season peak extended from late June to mid-August, with a slower decline than prior seasons (Dept. of Health, Disability and Ageing, Respiratory Surveillance Report, 20 Oct 2025, as reported by BEACON) [2] | +20% growth in winter medical advice |
Why telehealth demand rises every winter
Winter changes what Australians see an online GP for
Influenza and other respiratory viruses spread more widely during winter. As more people develop symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough and fatigue, demand for GP appointments also rises. Telehealth provides another way to access clinical assessment without travelling to a clinic. During periods of high demand, it can improve access to medical advice, prescriptions and referrals where clinically appropriate.
Healthdirect Australia [3] reported increased demand for healthcare advice during the 2025 winter influenza season. Hola Health observed a similar increase in telehealth consultations during the same period.
Common reasons Australians ask for a script in winter
- Cold and flu symptoms - fever, sore throat, cough
- Chest infections and other respiratory symptoms
- Repeat asthma medication, when clinically appropriate
- Repeat scripts for ongoing conditions, when getting to a clinic is harder
- Scripts for uncomplicated symptoms for cough, cold and fever that may not require in-person assessment.
What this means for patients
- Seasonal spikes in healthcare demand can increase waiting times in traditional primary care services.
- Telehealth provides another access point for Australians seeking clinical advice, repeat prescriptions, medical certificates or referrals when appropriate.
- For uncomplicated respiratory illnesses, an online consultation may provide a convenient first step before in-person care if needed.
Methodology
We compared our internal platform data against publicly available reporting from the RACGP, the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and — where cited — third-party health surveillance aggregators. Each external figure is cited individually above; Hola Health did not independently verify third-party case or mortality data.