PRACTICE INFORMATION

 

FEES & BILLING ARRANGEMENTS

All consultations with our General Practitioners will be bulk billed if you have a Medicare card.
A fee will be charged for patients who do not have Medicare and for consultations not covered by the Medicare Benefits Schedule.

If your visit is as a result of work-related injury, you will need to inform the receptionist. Work related consultations and treatment will be billed to the employer or the insurance company involved.

Patients with Private Health Insurance will be charged consultation fees depending on the time of their appointment. We can process your consult claim on site with our HICAPS Terminal and an out-of-pocket fee may be issued.

APPOINTMENTS
An appointment system operates in this practice with an average of 10 minutes allocated per patient, unless a longer appointment is required. When booking, please advise reception if you are needing a special medical examination or procedure or if more than one family member needs to be seen.

If you are unable to keep the appointment, please inform us as soon as possible so that someone else can be accommodated. If you or a family member that requires an interpreter service, we can organise this for you. Please let us know when you make the appointment.

Bookings can be made online using the website or by calling us on (02) 4572 5900.

TELEHEALTH SERVICES

AQ Family Practice offers telehealth consultations for existing patients who have attended a face-to-face appointment at our practice within the last 12 months. If you are a new patient, please book a face-to-face appointment for your initial consultation. If your doctor determines that a physical examination is required during a telehealth consultation, you will be advised to attend the clinic for an in-person appointment.

Telehealth appointments are suitable for follow-up consultations, prescription requests (where appropriate), medical certificates, and ongoing management of chronic conditions.

AFTER HOURS CARE
If you need urgent medical attention outside of our normal surgery hours, please contact National Home Doctor Service on 13 74 25 or attend your local emergency department.

RECALLS & REMINDERS
We are committed to preventive care. To provide an efficient monitoring of your health, this practice offers a computerised system of recalls and reminders. Your doctor will seek your permission to be included on our reminder system. We may issue you with a reminder notice from time to time offering you preventive health services appropriate to your care. If you do not wish to be part of this system, please let your doctor or reception know.

Recalls and reminders are done through a messaging service by phone or mail for follow-up tests, immunisations, health care assessments, reviews of chronic health problems like diabetes and asthma etc.

PRIVACY
All our medical records are computer-based records only. Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff.

We abide by the National Privacy Principles available at this website: www.privacy.gov.au/health/index.html

PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE
Regular health checks and consultation with your doctor when any symptoms or changes in your body occur are essential as part of preventative care. Our practice provides the following:

  • Allied health referrals
  • Asthma management
  • Blood pressure and heart health checks
  • Care for acute illnesses and injuries
  • Care plans and health assessments
  • Cervical Screening
  • Children’s health and immunisations
  • Chronic disease management
  • Cryotherapy and wart treatment
  • Diabetes management
  • Driving medical assessments
  • Ear syringing
  • ECG and health monitoring
  • Iron infusions
  • Medication reviews
  • Men’s health
  • Mental health support and care plans
  • Minor surgical procedures
  • Pathology collection services
  • Pre-employment medicals
  • Preventive health screening
  • Shared antenatal care
  • Skin checks and minor skin procedures
  • Smoking cessation support
  • Sexual health checks
  • Travel medicine
  • Vaccinations and travel vaccines
  • Weight management support
  • Women’s health
  • WorkCover and insurance medicals
  • Wound care and dressings

YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US
We always welcome any constructive comments or suggestions. Our staff is here to help, so do not hesitate to ask for assistance. Due to the unpredictable nature of general practice consultations, the doctors will sometimes be behind schedule.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We take your feedback seriously as they will help us improve our services and to cater to your needs. However, if you are dissatisfied and want to take your concerns further, you may contact the Health Clinic Care Complaint Commission. Ph: (02) 9219 7444