Our Practice

Information for patients

Appointments

All consultations require an appointment. Appointments can be made by phone on 3200 4557. The standard consultation time is 10 minutes per patient. When making your appointment, please let us know which doctor you would like to see and if you require a longer consultation. We do our best to minimise your waiting time but delays may occur due to emergencies. Emergencies and booked appointments will be given priority to see the doctor. To triage effectively, explain your situation to the front desk if you are in a serious condition. Long appointments are available if you have several items or a complex issue to discuss. If your emergency is life-threatening, phone ‘000’ for the ambulance. It is essential that you call us if you are unable to attend your appointment; notice of 2 hours is required.

*Please do not present to the clinic if you have any COVID-19 Symptoms. Please call on 3200 4557 and notify our staff to arrange your appointment.

Telephone Consultations

Please note the changes to our telephone consultations due to Medicare claiming requirements. They are still available if you have seen the doctor in person in the last 12 months for Medicare card holders only.  

1. After your telephone consultation, you need to agree to the service being bulk billed.  

2. You will be sent a text message with a link to your phone via Health Engine, please complete the form to verify your identity and tap to assign your Medicare benefits.  

3. This must be done immediately following your phone call with the doctor.  

4. If you don’t agree to assign your benefits, then a private fee of $61.40 is payable by you.  

5. If you don't receive the text message, you must come into the clinic on the same day to sign your agreement for your phone consultation to be bulk billed.  

6. Please ensure your mobile number is kept up-to-date, by notifying us if you have changed your phone number. 

7. If you fail to follow this process, we will be unable to conduct telephone consultations with you in the future.

Corresponding with Your Doctor

Should you wish to speak with your doctor, please leave a message with reception and the doctor will return your call when possible. If the call is regarding your health, please make an appointment to see the doctor. Email correspondence is unavailable.

Prescriptions

To safeguard your health, prescription orders cannot be made over the phone without the patient speaking with the doctor. If you need repeat prescriptions, we encourage patients to make an appointment 2 weeks before the prescription runs out to see our doctor.

Home Visits & After Hours

Home visits are available to patients of this practice both within and outside normal opening hours. If you are a regular patient who is too ill to attend the surgery and live within Waterford West, Marsden, Loganlea or Crestmead, contact the surgery.  The receptionist will discuss your concerns and situation with your doctor and organise your visit appropriately.

Please call The National Home Doctors Service on 13SICK (13 74 35) if the practice has already closed and you require a doctor to come to your home after business hours. They will bulk bill all Medicare card holders and a follow-up will be made by our GPs if required.

Consultation Fees

For all Medicare card holders Monday to Saturday appointments are Mixed Billed with an out of pocket fee $20 for non-concession card holders over the age of 16. Weekend consultations are conducted on a walk-in basis and will incur a $20 fee for non-concession card holders over the age of 16.

For people without a Medicare card, a fee will incur depending on the duration and nature of the consultation. If you have any concerns regarding these fees, please discuss them with reception staff prior to your appointment.

Standard Consultation (Up to 20min)  | $85.00  

Long Consultation (20-40min)  | $135.00  

Prolonged Consultation (40-60min) | $195.00  

Commercial Driver's License Health Check (Standard Consultation) | $132.00  

Commercial Driver's License Health Check (Long Consultation 40-60min)  | $195.00 

Insurance Report/Form Extra Long Consultation 30min)  | $258.00+

WorkCover QLD and self-insurers not covered under Medicare

Referrals

Referrals to a specialist may be made during the consultation in person. Standard referrals are valid for one year so please ensure you book an long appointment before your referral runs out.

Results, Recall & Reminders

All patients are encouraged to get the results of any test or procedure and keep your contact details up to date. As we lay importance on the confidentiality of your details, we do not discuss the nature of the results with you over the phone. You need to make an appointment with the doctor to get your results. We encourage patients to take responsibility for their own health and ensure you get the results after any tests or procedures. However, you will be contacted by telephone if your requested pathology or radiology results require discussion with the doctor.

Due to our commitment to preventative care, you may receive reminder phone calls and letters for routine health checks and results appropriate to your care. It is your responsibility to keep your contact details up to date to ensure optimal care can be provided.

Feedback, Suggestions & Improvements

We always welcome comments and suggestions regarding the care you receive at this practice. We continually strive to improve our services and shorten our waiting times. To help us improve there is a suggestion box at the front desk for your feedback. We will first try our best to resolve any issues to obtain the best outcome. If the problem cannot be resolved in this manner, you may contact the Office of the Health Ombudsman on 13 36 46.

Privacy Policy

Collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal and health information

Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of your personal Health Information at all times and ensure this information is only available to authorised members of staff.  We do not disclose any record to a third party unless an authorisation form has been signed by the patient or their guardian.

Patients of our practice have the right to access their personal health information under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000. Patients may request in writing or a consent form signed for their medical records to be transferred to another practice. If it is a large file, there may be a fee involved.