Telephone advice
Your doctor will require an appointment to discuss your medical concerns, including results. There may occasions where you need to contact your doctor by phone; this would be at the doctor’s discretion and quite often at the end of the day. Please summarise to reception staff if it is urgent so they can assist you appropriately.
Non attendance
A non-attendance fee, in line with our standard consultation fee plus GST, will apply if you do not arrive for your appointment, or give less than two hour’s notice to cancel. No further appointments will be made until this fee is paid. Appointments are often in high demand and may be sorely needed elsewhere. Please remember to cancel your appointment if it is no longer required.
Repeat prescriptions
You will be required to make an appointment with your doctor to obtain a repeat prescription. Doctors have a duty of care towards their patients and, although your prescription may be a regular medication, your doctor needs to ascertain that nothing has changed with your health prior to re-prescribing your medication. There may be certain circumstances where your doctor agrees to write a script without seeing you, however a non-rebatable fee will apply.
Referrals
You will need to make an appointment with your doctor to obtain a referral before seeing your specialist. Medicare rules stipulate these CANNOT be backdated. Referrals ensure your specialist is provided with up to date information, enabling them to provide appropriate care. At times, depending upon circumstances, it may be possible or necessary for your doctor to write a repeat referral without seeing you. In these cases, a non-rebatable fee will apply.
Results
An appointment is required for your doctor to discuss any investigations (pathology, radiology) with you. There may be occasions, however, where it is appropriate for these to be discussed via telephone. This will be at your doctor’s discretion.
Email and/or SMS appointment reminders
Email and/or SMS appointment reminders are offered to all patients in order to confirm the date and time of your appointment. Patient consent is required to provide Email/SMS reminders. The reminder is sent via HotDoc with an option to cancel the appointment if it is no longer required. Please remember, the majority of SMS reminders are successfully delivered but if not, it remains your responsibility to attend your appointment. Non-attendance fees do apply.
Recalls and reminders
Our practice actively promotes preventive health for our patients. Doctors send out recalls and reminders to their patients via a letter or an SMS message via HotDoc. The SMS contains a link to access your reminder letter on your smartphone. Reminders are generated for cervical screening, care plans, aged health assessments, etc.
Transfer of medical records
If you are intending to see one of our GPs as your regular doctor, a patient health summary can be requested from your previous surgery to assist with handover of your care. Please speak to our reception staff to arrange this for you.
Electronic communication
Moana Medical Centre does not communicate electronically (email) with patients regarding clinical care, or third parties involving patient information. We do not consider this to be a secure method of communication, and we encourage you to make an appointment, or telephone reception staff to assist with your needs.