Pharmacy pick-up and home delivery

When your Abby clinician issues an eScript, you can either pick it up at any Australian pharmacy or have it delivered to your door through one of our pharmacy partners. Both options are bulk-billed-friendly: Medicare covers the consult; you pay the pharmacy's PBS co-payment for the medication itself.

How pharmacy pick-up works

After your consultation, your clinician sends an electronic prescription (eScript) to your phone by SMS or email. You receive a unique token that any Australian pharmacy can scan. Walk in, show the token, and the pharmacy dispenses your medication. You pay the pharmacy directly, with most medications subsidised under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The eScript token works at any pharmacy in Australia. You do not have to go to a specific pharmacy. If your usual chemist is more convenient, use them. If you are travelling, use any pharmacy where you are.

How home delivery works

If leaving the house is not practical, Abby's pharmacy partners can deliver your medication. Common reasons patients use delivery include working from home, regional or remote locations far from a pharmacy, mobility issues, caring responsibilities, or simply preferring not to make an extra trip.

Delivery is handled by a partner pharmacy, not by Abby directly. The partner pharmacy receives your eScript, dispenses your medication, and arranges courier or postal delivery to your address. Delivery timing depends on the partner and your location, with metropolitan deliveries usually within one to two business days and regional deliveries taking longer.

What you pay

The Abby consultation itself is bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Strict eligibility criteria apply.

The medication is priced separately by the pharmacy. PBS-listed medications are heavily subsidised. The pharmacy may also charge a delivery fee for home delivery, which varies by partner and location. The fee is shown before you commit.

When pick-up is better than delivery

Pick-up is faster if you need the medication today. Most pharmacies can dispense within a few minutes of scanning your eScript. Delivery suits non-urgent medications, repeats, and patients who do not need same-day access.

Some medications require pharmacy interaction that delivery cannot provide. Cold-chain medications (which need refrigeration), Schedule 4 medications with delivery restrictions, and medications requiring counselling are usually safer to collect in person. Your pharmacy will tell you if your specific medication is one of these.

Schedule 8 medications

Schedule 8 controlled medications cannot be delivered or first-prescribed online. See controlled medications and why we don't prescribe them online for the full position.

Frequently asked questions

Can I switch from pick-up to delivery after the eScript is sent?

Yes, until the script is dispensed. Once a pharmacy has dispensed the medication, you cannot reroute to a different pharmacy without contacting them.

Does Abby own the pharmacy?

Pharmacy delivery is currently provided by partner pharmacies. Abby is launching its own pharmacy service to streamline this. The clinical decision (your eScript) is made by your Abby clinician; the dispensing is done by a registered Australian pharmacy.

What if my medication is out of stock at my pharmacy?

The pharmacy can usually order it in or transfer your eScript to another pharmacy with stock. eScripts move between pharmacies easily.

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