I look forward to meeting you at your consultation and to returning you to the best level of function possible.
I generally run on time so please arrive 10 minutes early for your appointment to fill in a health questionnaire and supply your personal details. If you are late, it may not be possible for you to be seen that day in order to avoid inconveniencing other patients.
When you come for your appointment, please remember to bring the following:
- Medicare or Veteran Affairs card.
- Referral letter from your GP, family physician or other doctor.
- Copies of operation records, medical records, X-rays, MRI’s, CT scans, bone scans, ultrasounds and so on from prior doctor’s visits that relate to your problem area (even if you have been told that they are normal).
- If you have seen a physiotherapist, please bring a progress letter from the therapist.
- If you have had surgery elsewhere, please bring a copy of your operation report.
- A list of all medications that you are currently taking and their doses.
- A list of any known drug allergies and the symptoms you may have from taking these medicines.
- Any medical information or reasons for admission to hospital.
- Your health insurance information.
- Your claim number if it is a Worker’s Compensation injury.
If not all the relevant information is available at the time of your appointment, this may cause a delay in your treatment. In addition, it may be necessary to repeat a study to complete your evaluation.
You may also arrange to have the records sent to us prior to your appointment (please arrange this with one of my secretarial staff).
All patients need a referral from their General Practitioner, family physician or other doctor to be eligible for a rebate from Medicare.
Please dress so that the body part you are having trouble with can be easily examined and/or X-rayed. Please wear or bring shorts to your appointment or ensure long pants are loose enough to be rolled up to mid thigh level.
Very often during the course of your evaluation or treatment for an Orthopaedic condition, I will require X-rays to determine the cause of a problem or to evaluate your progress.
Diagnostic X-ray facilities are available at each office location for prompt evaluation and patient convenience. These are bulk billed so there will not be any out of expenses for xrays if you are covered by medicare.
X-rays are usually arranged as part of your scheduled appointment but please bring in any X-rays of the relevant body part which have been ordered by other doctors. If you have not already had an X-ray, please do not get one done just for the appointment as I often require specific views to be taken. If you need to have an X-ray taken prior to your appointment, please arrive at least 20 minutes early to allow time for this to take place. Appointments for X-ray are not necessary.
Telephone the office during business hours. Please cancel at least 1 day ahead so that your appointment time can be allocated to another patient who is seeking treatment.
Fees charged are based around the Australian Medical Association recommended fee. This means that in most instances, there will be a portion of your consultation fee which will not be covered by Medicare or your health fund. It is important that you ask about this gap prior to receiving treatment if you are concerned about it.
What happens if I need an operation? (Surgical Fees)…
Once it has been determined that you need an operation, my staff will be able to provide you with a cost estimate for your surgery. This can be a confusing area and my office staff will readily offer you assistance in navigating the financial part of your surgery. This includes help with paper work, hospital admissions, medical fund rebate and the like.
With respect to Orthopaedic surgery, some of the operations will receive a benefit from your insurer whilst others will not. Appropriate advice on all these matters will be provided, including accurate estimates of what the final costs might be. Please be advised that when you have an operation, there is a fee for myself as the attending surgeon, my assistant, the anaesthetist and the hospital.
My staff are fully informed about charges and rebates and will be able to help you navigate your way through this complex area.