What should I bring with me when I come for a scheduled office appointment?

Apart from medicare and your insurance information

• Referral letter from a GP, family physician or any other doctor
• Medicare card, DVA card, pension card
• Have your private hospital insurance information with you
• Reports, X-Rays, MRIs, CT scans etc. and any other relevant information

Are my medical records kept private and confidential?

Your medical file is handled with the utmost respect for your privacy. Our staff is bound by strict confidentiality requirements as a condition of employment regarding your medical records. Ordinarily, we will not release the contents of your medical file without your consent.

Do I need a referral to make an appointment?

Most medical specialists will accept only referred patients. This is partly to try to ensure that the specialist you are seeing is appropriate for you and your condition, and also because medicare pays higher rebates for specialist services if you have been referred.

How can my family doctor help me to obtain specialist medical care?

Before seeing any medical specialist, it is always preferable to talk to your own family doctor, who can discuss your condition with you and advise on whether any specialist care is appropriate. If it is, your doctor can help you to choose the specialist best suited to your needs. Your family doctor can help the specialist to care for you better by providing relevant information about your health. Communicating with the specialist will also enable your family doctor to care for you better during and after your specialist treatment.

What should I expect during the first visit?

During your initial visit, the doctor will explain the specific test or procedure you need, help you visualise the results and go over the risks. He may do a physical examination and ask you a bunch of questions. Once the test is done,  he will then diagnose your condition and recomend the appropriate treatment.