APPOINTMENTS
Our practice operates on an appointment system but can usually accommodate urgent cases. The standard appointment is 15 minutes, with a long appointment being up to 30 minutes. Please assist us in minimising waiting times by ensuring you book an appointment of an adequate length. If you are unclear as to the length of appointment required, please discuss with our reception staff.
If your consultation time has run out, please let the doctor know you have further problems you wish to discuss. You can then rebook an appointment.
Adding extra family members to a single appointment causes delays to other patients. Please book an individual appointment for each family member needing to be seen unless otherwise advised by reception staff. This will help the doctor run to time and ensure the doctor gives each individual the time their problems require.
DELAYS
Due to the unpredictable nature of general practice, please understand that despite our best effort, delays may occur. Please feel free to phone the practice before your appointment to check whether your doctor is running on time. As a courtesy to you, if delays are significant, we will endeavour to contact you in regard to the wait time, or enable you to reschedule your appointment.
MISSED OR CANCELLED APPOINTMENTS
Missed or cancelled appointments at short notice interfere with the availability of doctors to other patients. This has necessitated a policy whereby missed appointments, or appointments cancelled within two hours of the consultation, will usually be charged a fee. This fee will vary depending upon the length of appointment. Medicare will not cover this cost.
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS AND REFERRALS
Repeat prescriptions and referrals will require a consultation. However, depending on your medical condition and the time that has lapsed since your last visit, a prescription or repeat referral may be able to be provided without a consultation. 24 hours notice is required.
A fee will apply for a repeat script or referral done without consultation.
Referral to a new specialist will always require a consultation with your doctor. Referrals cannot be backdated.
A good policy in regard to scripts is to book an appointment at the time of filling your last repeat script.
CONSULTATION FEES
We are a private-billing practice and therefore require payment at the time of consultation. Upon payment of your fee we can immediately lodge your Medicare claim online avoiding the need for you to visit a Medicare office.
We accept cash, EFTPOS, Visa and Master Card.
Workers’ compensation consultations may be billed to WorkCover, upon receipt of the approved claim document. Until we are in receipt of this document you will be billed directly for the consultations and immediate payment is required. However, you will be reimbursed by WorkCover when they accept your claim.
RECALL SYSTEMS
Our practice employs a recall system for preventive health checks, such as pap smears, skin checks, diabetes and other chronic diseases and annual health assessments for the over 75’s.
You may be contacted by phone or mail if you provide us with these details, unless you request otherwise.
HOME VISITS
For best management, it is ideal for patients to attend the practice for their consultations as the doctor then has the aid of our practice nurses and access to all necessary equipment. However, we realise that in certain circumstances this is not possible and a house call can be arranged if in the local area. Alternatively, at the discretion of the doctor, hospitalisation may be suggested for optimal and immediate care.
TEST RESULTS
It is the patient’s responsibility to contact the practice to obtain their test results. We request that you telephone the practice after 2pm Monday to Friday. Once results are reviewed by the treating doctor, a ‘comment’ is attached to each result. For your convenience and to prevent unnecessary consultations, these comments can be relayed to you by our reception staff. However, should you require more information then an appointment will have to be made. The doctor may also indicate, in their ‘comment’, that an appointment is required to discuss the results.
When having blood tests, we would suggest you talk to the collecting nurse to find out when the results will be available. The same is recommended when having x-rays, ultrasounds, CT’s, MRI’s, etc and discussion with the radiology staff.
STUDENT EDUCATION
From time to time, medical and nursing students may be attached to the practice. Reception staff will always request your agreement to the involvement of a student in a consultation. Please feel comfortable in saying ‘no’ to this request.
PRIVACY POLICY
Our practice has developed a policy to protect your privacy in compliance with privacy legislation. Our policy is to inform you:
- That we need your consent to collect information about you;
- What personal information is being collected;
- Who is collecting your personal information;
- How your personal information is being used;
- To whom your personal information is being disclosed; and
- That you may discuss any concerns you have about how we handle your information.
PATIENT FEEDBACK
In order to ensure we are constantly improving the service we deliver to our patients, feedback is welcomed and encouraged. Please feel free to discuss with the practice manager any concerns you may have. We will endeavour to deal with them in a timely manner.
E-HEALTH
Mudgeeraba General Practice is an e-health friendly practice. GPs can access information from, as well as upload information to your Personally Controlled E-Health Record.
AFTER HOURS
This practice provides for 24-hour care to be available for our patients. Increasing workloads has made it impossible for the doctors to provide this service personally. The practice has a formal arrangement with Pindara A&E whereby any patients seen at the A&E will have their hospital admission notes sent thru to our practice. In addition we have a formal arrangement with Chevron After Hours. To talk to the after hours doctor please ring 5532 8666. If the doctor does not respond quickly and you feel the matter is very urgent, please call the Ambulance or a hospital Emergency Department.
COMMUNICATION POLICY
GPs can be contacted via telephone, however, if they are unavailable a message will be given to them and a patient’s call returned as early as possible. E-mails received will also be forwarded on to GPs as appropriate.
