What if my phone consultation drops out?

What happens if my phone consultation drops out?

If your Abby Health phone consultation drops out mid-call, your clinician will attempt to call you back from 0483 957 072 within a few minutes. Stay near your phone with the volume on. If you do not receive a callback, check that your number is correct in the app, then contact the Abby Health support team via live chat to reschedule if needed.

Why do phone consultations drop out?

Phone consultation dropouts are most commonly caused by:

• Poor mobile reception in your current location — particularly relevant in regional and rural areas of Australia
• The call being blocked by Do Not Disturb mode or a call screening feature
• A network fault on either end of the call
• Your phone automatically diverting to voicemail

Abby Health is built to serve patients across the country, including areas where connectivity can be variable. If you are in a location with poor reception, moving to a different spot — closer to a window or outdoors — can significantly improve call stability. Phone consultations are generally more resilient than video calls in low-bandwidth environments. See telehealth for rural and remote Australians for more information.

What will my clinician do if the call drops?

If the call disconnects, your clinician's first action will be to attempt a callback from 0483 957 072. This typically happens within a few minutes of the disconnection. Save this number in your phone contacts so you recognise it and answer promptly.

Your clinician will make at least one callback attempt. If you do not answer that call — for example, because your phone is on silent or in another room — the appointment may not be able to continue and you may need to rebook.

What should I do immediately after a dropout?

When your call drops:

1. Stay near your phone and make sure the volume is turned up.
2. Turn off Do Not Disturb mode if it is active.
3. Check that call forwarding is not redirecting calls — particularly to voicemail.
4. Move to an area with better reception if you were in a low-signal spot.
5. Wait up to 5 minutes for your clinician to call back.

If you receive a callback and the call drops again, repeat the same steps. Two consecutive dropouts usually indicate a reception issue at your end — consider moving to a different location before the third attempt.

What if my clinician does not call back?

If you have waited more than 5–10 minutes and have not received a callback:

• Open the Abby Health app and check your Appointments tab for any status updates.
• Contact the Abby Health support team via live chat in the app. They can check the status of your consultation and contact your clinician on your behalf.
• If a rebook is needed, the support team will arrange this at no cost to you when the dropout was due to a technical or network issue.

All contact options are detailed in how to contact the Abby support team.

How do I confirm my phone number is correct in the app?

An incorrect phone number in your account is a common reason callbacks do not connect. To check and update your number:

1. Open the Abby Health app.
2. Go to Account or Profile Settings.
3. Verify that the mobile number listed matches your current number.
4. Update it if needed and save the change before your next appointment.

Can I switch to video if my phone keeps dropping out?

In some situations, switching to a video consultation may provide a more stable connection — particularly if your Wi-Fi is reliable but your mobile reception is not. Contact the Abby Health support team to discuss whether switching formats is possible for your current appointment. For guidance on how video calls work, see how video and phone telehealth consultations work.

If your symptoms are severe or worsening and you cannot connect with your clinician, call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department.

The Australian Department of Health and Aged Care provides guidance on telehealth services available under Medicare for Australians in all locations. For non-emergency advice while you wait for a callback, Healthdirect runs a 24-hour nurse helpline funded by the Australian Government.

How Abby can help

Abby Health is an online-first clinic serving patients across Australia, including those in areas with variable connectivity. Phone dropouts are frustrating, but our support team is available 7 days a week to get your consultation back on track. Abby appointments are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Book or manage your care at abbyhealth.app.