OUR POLICIES
APPOINTMENTS
Our Practice uses an appointment system for the Doctor and /or the Nurse. We do not have walk-in appointments available. Please make a separate appointment for each patient that needs to be seen by the Doctor. The appointments are 20 minutes and for new patients you will need to book a longer appointment for 30 minutes. If you have a number of issues to discuss with the
Doctor then you need to book a longer appointment - up to 39 minutes is a long consultation (Item no 36). Please refer to our fees list for the billing charges.
We have a $50.00 non cancellation fee if you have booked an appointment and then just don’t turn up or advise that you will not be attending.
We have a reminder and recall system in place for preventative health care covering a wide range of health care such as, Immunisations, Diabetes and Asthma reviews, Pap smears and may other health care issues including chronic disease
management for our patients.
HOME VISITS
Until there are more Doctors available to work in the Practice there is very limited availability to offer a home visit for our patients.
AFTER HOURS VISITS
There are after hours services available at Wyong Hospital and we have tried to access care under Bridges After Hours Care at Wyong Hospital, however, we have not been successful in securing an agreement for the after hours care of our patients at this time. We will continue to try and source after hours care for our patients and will post the information on this website when it occurs. Currently we refer patients who require relatively urgent care to the Accident and Emergency rooms at Wyong Hospital.
For immediate urgent care phone 000.
FEES AND PAYMENTS
Payment for the services provided by the Doctors is to be paid at the time of service unless prior arrangements have been made with the Practice Manager. The fees are displayed throughout the waiting room area and on the website. We offer a discounted fee for Government issued card holders such as a pension or health care card holder. DVA card holders will be billed to Dept of Veterans Affairs. The description of the times involved in the consultations are also displayed. Please be mindful of the time you have booked for the consultation. If you have a number of issues, then it may be necessary for the Doctor to address and treat the most urgent
and ask you to rebook another time to address the remaining health issues.
Children under 16 years of age will be bulk billed to Medicare.
Payment is expected in full at the time of the consultation and the rebate can be claimed at the point of sale for a rebate from Medicare, saving the patient time and effort of going to a Medicare office or website.
Workers Compensation fees and Third Party Insurance fees are not set by Medicare and cannot be claimed for a rebate by the patient. All claiming details must be presented to the medical centre receptionist for the claim to be covered by the appropriate insurance companies. If you are unsure what you will need, then please make contact with the receptionist at the rooms Prior to your consultation to obtain the relevant details of what you will require.
TEST RESULTS
The Doctors will send a message to your phone if your test results require no further action. You will receive a Recall message to make an non urgent appointment if the Doctor wishes to discuss a result with a patient. Any Urgent recalls the Doctor will notify you as soon as the result is received.
REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS/REFERRALS
In the best interest of the patients health care, the Doctors will not issue a repeat script if you have not had a face to face appointment within the prior 3-6 months. Not all scripts are able to done without an appointment. For any eligible scripts where the Doctor is happy to provide a script or repeat referral then a fee is charged. This is listed in the fees section.
TELEPHONING FOR MEDICAL ADVICE
The Practice is open Monday to Saturday, however, the Doctors may not always be on site and the Nurse is part time. The receptionist will provide the best available option to assist in any patient enquiries, but if a patient is experiencing any chest pain, jaw pain or arm pain, shortness of breath, altered body functions that may suggest a stoke or heart attack, then Phone 000 immediately for urgent ambulance attendance.
INSTRUMENTS USED IN THE PRACTICE
All instrument used within the treatment room are single-use items. Sterile packs are used for all procedures.
MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH INFORMATION
This Practice manages the patient information in line with National Privacy Principles. We have a Privacy Policy which clearly states our policies of handling personal information, including health information and will be made available to anyone who requests this. As a patient, your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of a patient’s personal health information, to the best of our ability, at all times, and to ensure that this information is only available to authorized members of staff or to relevant Specialists, other Doctors you may need referral to, or allied health professionals who require medical information for your ongoing care and management.
CONCERNS/ENQUIRIES/FEEDBACK
We welcome any feedback, enquiries or concerns that you may have about the Practice. If you are posting a review on our website and it is negative, we ask for contact to also be made with the Practice Manager, Chris, so that we can understand what has prompted that response, and how we may be able to address the matter and create a more positive experience.
Please email - manager@wyeemedicalcentre.com.au. You are also welcomed to address any feedback with the Doctors. There is a suggestion box in the waiting room and we would appreciate your input. If you have an issue that you feel needs addressing by an outside body then please contact The Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) phone - 02 9219 7444, or toll free in NSW 1800 043 159, or view their website at www.hccc@nsw.gov.au">www.hccc@nsw.gov.au.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Practice has a non-smoking policy in all areas within the Medical practice and in the vicinity outside the Practice. The NSW Department of Health are still strongly recommending the wearing of masks within General Medical Practice.