Telehealth

Lore & Background

Telehealth requires good Internet access, usually a strong broadband connection or 4G/LTE mobile technology, to overcome video stability and bandwidth issues. Healthcare providers often begin with a needs assessment to identify hardships such as travel time or costs that telehealth can improve. Delivery occurs within four domains: live video (synchronous), store-and-forward (asynchronous), remote patient monitoring, and mobile health. Audio-based telemedicine, primarily telephone consultations, has been studied for managing chronic conditions, with a systematic review of 40 randomized controlled trials finding it generally comparable to in-person or video care, though with low to very low certainty of evidence.

Reader's Guide

Telehealth is significant as a disruptive innovation that bridges gaps in healthcare access caused by rural settings, lack of transport, mobility issues, outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics, decreased funding, or staff shortages. It can improve retention in treatment and provide distance-learning, meetings, supervision, and presentations between practitioners. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with telemedicine, but the Health Resources and Services Administration distinguishes telehealth as broader, including non-clinical applications like administration and provider education, while telemedicine describes only remote clinical services. The World Health Organization uses telemedicine to describe all aspects of health care including preventive care, while the American Telemedicine Association uses the terms interchangeably. eHealth, used particularly in the U.K. and Europe, is an umbrella term that includes telehealth, electronic medical records, and other health information technology components.

Did You Know?

• Telehealth includes non-clinical services such as provider training, administrative meetings, and continuing medical education, while telemedicine refers only to remote clinical services.
• Store-and-forward telemedicine, also known as asynchronous telehealth, does not require both parties to be present at the same time and is common in dermatology, radiology, and pathology.
• Remote monitoring, or self-monitoring, enables medical professionals to monitor patients remotely for chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, or asthma, and can provide comparable health outcomes to in-person enco
• Videotelephony is particularly useful to deaf and speech-impaired individuals who can use it with sign language and video relay services.

Founding & Multi-Brand Strategy

Eucalyptus Health was established in 2019 in Sydney by a founding team of Tim Doyle, Charlie Gearside, Benny Kleist, and Alexey Mitko. Rather than building a single general-purpose telehealth platform, the company adopted a distinctive multi-brand architecture, each targeting a specific health niche. Pilot launched first, focusing on men's health issues such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, hair loss, and weight management. This was followed by Juniper, which centred on women's weight management and menopause support using GLP-1 receptor agonist therapies like Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Wegovy alongside health coaching. Software addressed dermatology through online consultations and prescription skincare, while Kin covered reproductive health including contraception, fertility support, and pregnancy care. A fifth brand, Compound, a men's preventative health program, debuted in 2024 but was paused later that year before relaunching in the United Kingdom in 2025. The company expanded beyond Australia into the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Canada, and in June 2023 absorbed the digital assets of Jenny Craig Australia after that brand entered voluntary administration. Eucalyptus also became the first Australian telehealth company accredited by the ACHS against EQuIP6 standards for clinical safety and quality.

Funding Trajectory & The Hims & Hers Acquisition

Eucalyptus's financial trajectory accelerated rapidly after its 2019 founding. The company secured A$8 million in Series A funding in May 2020, followed by $30 million in Series B in July 2021 and $60 million in Series C in January 2022. A further A$50 million round in April 2023 pushed the company's valuation to $560 million, more than tripling its earlier $520 million mark. By 2025, Eucalyptus reported an annual revenue run-rate exceeding US$450 million with quarterly triple-digit year-on-year growth, though it remained unprofitable, posting an A$15.2 million after-tax loss in fiscal 2024. Revenue reached A$120.9 million in FY 2024, with 60% generated internationally. The company's journey culminated in February 2026 when Hims & Hers Health, a NYSE-listed health and wellness firm, agreed to acquire Eucalyptus in a deal valued at up to US$1.15 billion, completed in June 2026. The structure included a US$240 million upfront payment, deferred cash or stock payments over 18 months, and earn-out payments tied to financial targets through 2029. Co-founder and CEO Tim Doyle was set to become SVP of international operations.

Regulatory Firestorm & Marketing Controversies

Eucalyptus faced mounting scrutiny from Australian health regulators and professional bodies from 2023 onward. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners questioned whether remote questionnaires constituted adequate clinical assessment for prescribing GLP-1 receptor agonists, while the Therapeutic Goods Administration warned telehealth firms against directly advertising prescription-only medicines to consumers. During the 2023–2024 GLP-1 medication shortages, Eucalyptus partnered with compounding pharmacies to supply compounded semaglutide, drawing criticism from manufacturers and regulators until the federal government banned pharmacy compounding of GLP-1 drugs in October 2024. In response, the company replaced asynchronous online forms with phone-based GP consultations. Media outlets including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, and ABC's Media Watch questioned whether influencer campaigns and television segments blurred the line between editorial content and advertising. In June 2025, the TGA issued class-wide safety warnings for all GLP-1 and dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists regarding aspiration risks during general anaesthesia. By late December 2025, eating disorder advocacy groups, including The Australia and New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders, warned that aggressive social media marketing—citing Juniper's Black Friday sale—could target individuals who did not require the medication.

Workforce Pressures & Operational Tensions

Eucalyptus's rapid growth came with significant internal strain on its workforce. In 2022, after an unnamed investment firm withdrew from a planned loan, the company was forced to cut 20% of its staff, affecting 50 to 60 people across multiple brands—a pattern comparable to struggles faced by overseas peers such as Ro and Hims & Hers Health. The situation intensified in 2026 when four current and former medical assistants based in the Philippines spoke anonymously about what they described as impossible performance benchmarks introduced in 2025. According to their accounts, Eucalyptus raised the number of queries each assistant was expected to process to more than 65 per day, with some employees assigned up to 80 new tickets. Missing these targets triggered management escalation and the fear of termination. The pressure, while aligned with the company's aggressive growth trajectory, reportedly contributed to increased employee turnover and a growing operational dependence on artificial intelligence. This concern was compounded in September 2025 when Eucalyptus introduced an AI chatbot, prompting warnings from professional bodies about the use of artificial intelligence in weight-loss programs.