CONSENT TO INITIAL CONSULTATION
When you call for an appointment, what should you know?

Accepting new patients and referrals to the practice, whilst it may seem an innocent exercise, is actually a complex coordinated receptionist activity, and which is designed to help guarantee...

  1. That you do not need to wait an endless initial waiting period
  2. That you are seen in a timely way, so that we may (in most cases immediately) see & treat conditions that requires surgical care
  3. That coordinates treatments being provided to you by other co-  practitioners (including your referring clinician)
  4. Does not see you waiting exceptional periods for your first consultation
  5. Provides you adequate time and explanation of your condition or the treatment that you seek
  6. Coordinates your arrival and departure with other clients, so that you are allocated a secure parking place.

When you first make a phone call for your consultation, the receptionist will ask a number of details from you, such as your name, address, at least three phone numbers, and a number of other items of private information about you.

Most importantly the receptionist will ask who your referrer is. A referrer is important, as it enables you to gain a medicare rebate through medicare for your consultation, and any treatment (including x-rays and surgery) that may result from your consultation. It also aims to maintain continuity of care.

At the time of making your booking, a specific time will be allocated to you. You are requested to attend at least 15 minutes earlier than the allotted time to enable completion of initial paper work. Specific parking should be available for you. You should also anticipate that the consultation with the doctor is for 30 minutes (unless you have been told otherwise), and a further fifteen minutes to discuss treatment-cost estimates, or organise investigative procedures.

Overall you should allocate at least 1 hr of your time to being present for the overall consultation process.

                                                                                                                     

It is important that if you are the person who is seeking a consultation, that it is you who makes the appointment. Similarly if it is a child, or legal dependent, it is important that the legal guardian (the court appointed carer, or the parent) makes the appointment.

Other doctors, dentists, your spouse, or your parents (if you are not living at their home) should not be the people who make your appointment for you.

 

Making an appointment with us means that you are guaranteed an appointment time, and which is of sufficient length to discuss your referred condition, or proposed treatment. Similarly you are guaranteeing to us that you will come to this appointment, and will not necessarily cancel in the days (or hours) immediately preceding your appointment time.

 

If you are not forthcoming with your details, or do not agree with a commitment to meet your appointment time, the practice may decline providing you a consultation appointment. By accepting an appointment with us, you are providing a commitment to us that you intend fully to keep this initial consultation appointment.

 

The overwhelming majority of clients do of course attend for their initial consultation appointment. This time is set aside specifically for you, and staff are employed to be present in anticipation of your arrival.

Unfortunately a small number of people do abuse the privilege of being offered an appointment, and don't actually turn up despite having confirmed their intentions to do so. Such actions are a waste of time for our clinic, and for the staff that we employ, and ultimately makes services provided to other patients more expensive, and less time efficient.

The clinic will in most cases call you immediately before your appointment to confirm your arrival time.

In exceptional circumstances, the practice may elect to send a bill to the client who simply does not turn up , and does not provide a reasonable excuse.

                                                                                                                    

At the time of making your initial consultation booking, our receptionists will specifically confirm with you the following details...

  1. That you know what our address is, what your appointment time is, and that you know how to access our car park
  2. That our costs are ~$154 for the consultation and if you need an x-ray, which most people do, this can be done with our “state-of-the-art” equipment for ~$142 (x-rays are normally bulk-billed of "free" if you referrer has specifically asked for this).
  3. That you may be eligible to receive a rebate from either Medicare or your health fund. Access to this rebate is dependent upon the way your referral is written, or who it is provided by. The rebate from Medicare for the consultation would be ~$67 and for the x-ray ~$40. Rebates through private health funds vary according to the nature of your personal circumstances, but generally Medicare rebates are higher than private dental insurance.
  4. Payment is expected on the day and credit-card payments carry a 2.0% surcharge. We do not accept personal cheques.
  5. If you cancel this appointment for any reason, a new appointment will be offered but you must prepay for this at a cost of  ~$154. This fee is not refundable on further cancellations.
  6. That you bring your referral, x-ray and payment on the day and to arrive 15mins early to fill in some paper work. The appointment is for ½ an hour & you can expect to remain for another 15 minutes for discussion (with the receptionist or patient manager) of your estimation.