North Road Medical General Information
- Appointments
- Onsite Pathology
- Telephone Access
- Fees and billing arrangements
- Workcover and TAC Fees
- Getting the results of any test or procedure
- Reminder System
- Interpreter Service
- Transfer of your Medical History
- X-Rays
- Complaints and Suggestions
Appointments
Please ring 9576 9311 for an appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will make every effort to accommodate your preferred time. Emergencies will always be given priority and our reception staff will attempt to contact you if there is any unforeseen delay or your GP has been called away.
Longer consultation times are available, so please ask our receptionists if you require some extra time. If you or a family member requires an interpreter service, we can organise this for you. Please let us know when you make the appointment.
You can schedule your appointment with your doctor online via HotDoc for your convenience. Visit the bookings page to book an appointment with your doctor online.
Your doctor is aware that your time is just as important as theirs and they do try to run on time. However General Practice is full of unexpected emergencies and problems which may be more complicated than they first seem. The doctors we support hope you will understand that if they run late, it is because they are devoting as much effort to another of their patient’s problem as you would expect them to dedicate to you. Your doctor may attend to accidents and genuine emergencies urgently and life threatening problems immediately. This can also result in unavoidable delays for their patients with scheduled appointments at that time.
Please notify us well in advance if you are unable to attend your appointment. We will then notify your doctor who can make the necessary amendments to their calendar.
Long Consultations: If you believe you require more than a 15 minute consultation with your doctor, or if you have more than one problem you wish to discuss with them, please advise the reception staff when booking your appointment with your doctor. We will then notify your doctor who will decide whether an extended consultation appointment is required.
Home and other visits: The doctors we support may offer ongoing home care to their patients who are unable to attend the practice. If it is impossible for you to attend your consultation because of severe illness, please telephone the practice as soon as possible after 8am. We will then notify your doctor who will advise if they are available to conduct a home visit or make other arrangements if possible.
Telehealth: Your doctor may privately bill telehealth appointments as per their normal fee structures. Their patients are eligible for a Medicare rebate if they had a face-to-face appointment with a doctor in the last 12 months prior to the telehealth appointment and hold a current Medicare card.
Care Outside Normal Consulting Hours: If you require care outside your doctor’s consulting hours, please contact our 24-hour Locum Service on 13 SICK (13 7425).
Pathology Service (On-Site Collection Centre)
Australian Clinical Labs operates from North Road Medical on Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm. Closed on Weekends and Public holidays. Australian Clinical Labs do not require their patients to book appointments for routine pathology tests.
24 Hour ECG & Blood Pressure Monitoring & Spirometry are available by appointment.
All patients are welcome. You will experience a friendly, personal and professional environment.
Pathology Diagnostics (Caulfield South Collection Centre) – Direct Phone Number 0477 924 401.
Telephone Access
GPs consulting from North Road Medical may be contacted during normal consulting hours. If your GP is with another patient, a message will be taken, and the reception staff will advise you when it is likely that your GP will return your call. In an emergency, your GP will be advised, and they will determine whether they are able to take your call or request that you call 000.
GPs consulting from North Road Medical prefer not to do prescriptions or referrals to specialists from messages being left. The doctors we support believe their patients on regular medications should have their condition(s) reviewed periodically.
The fee for a visit for these items can be discussed with your doctor at the time of appointment. The doctors consulting from North Road Medical have advised that consultations for a repeat script or repeat referral only can usually be bulk billed. However, consultation billing is in your doctor’s discretion.
If a patient does not want to see a doctor or have a telehealth consultation – the prescription or referral may be done over the phone at the discretion of your doctor and generally these appointments are not claimable through Medicare.
Fees and billing arrangements
During the week the GPs consulting from North Road Medical generally bulk bill children 9 years old and under, Veterans and Pensioners who were their patients prior to 16/08/2008 and on the pension at that time.
Most of the doctors consulting from North Road Medical, bill at a concession rate for their patients who are Concession Card holders and Pensioners who became their patients after 16/08/2008 and their current patients who become eligible for a pension card after 16/08/2008.
Fees are payable at the time of consultation by cash, cheque, Bankcard, MasterCard or Visa. The consulting from North Road Medical have elected to use the AMA Fee structure as the basis of their billing. The AMA billing structure is displayed in the reception area of the practice. If you have any difficulty in paying your doctor’s fees, please discuss it with your doctor during your consultation. Many of the doctors consulting from North Road Medical are willing to offer a $10.00 discount for their patients with private accounts pay on the day of their consultation.
On Saturdays the doctors we support privately bill all their patients.
If you have any concerns regarding your doctor’s fees, please discuss
these concerns with your doctor as the fees incurred during your consultation are at their discretion.
If you require any investigations or procedures during your consultation, your doctor can make you aware of any cost(s) you may incur.
If you are referred to a specialist, you should ask that specialist about fees and other costs that may arise.
Workcover and TAC consultations
The doctors we support require that all Workcover and TAC consultations be paid at the time of the consultation. An invoice can be provided to for you to claim back through either your workplace or TAC.
These are private accounts and CAN NOT be claimed through Medicare.
Getting the results of any test or procedure
Your doctor will advise you when they expect to receive your results (these will go to the doctor rather than directly to you). Call the practice and your doctor will provide your results and determine what follow up is required (if any). If you are concerned about a result, even if it is normal, organise an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns.
You should NEVER assume that the result is normal if you have not heard from your doctor.
Reminder System
Our practice is committed to supporting your doctors in providing preventative care. Your doctor will seek your permission to be included on our reminder system. We may issue you with a reminder notice from time to time offering you preventive health services selected by your doctor. If you do not wish to be part of this system please let your doctor or the receptionists know.
Interpreter Service
English is the main language spoken at the practice and by the doctors we support. If you are not proficient in English, it is highly advisable that a family member and/or friend be used to interpret. Alternatively, your doctor can make use of an interpreter service, with the patient’s permission.
Transfer of your Medical History
If you wish to transfer your medical history to another GP, you will need to ask your new GP to forward a signed consent form to your GP consulting from North Road Medical to transfer your medical history. Your previous GP will then advise North Road Medical to forward your medical summary to your new GP to help maintain continuity of care. If you require your whole history to be transferred, this will be done under the Health Records Act. A fee will be charged for this service which must be paid before the records are transferred.
X-Rays
The doctors we support strongly encourage their patients to pick up and store their own X-Rays for future comparison. The doctors we support destroy all X-Rays after 12 months.
Complaints and Suggestions
Your doctors constantly strive to give you the best possible care and attention. If you have any suggestions or are unhappy with any aspect of the services you receive from your doctor or from North Road Medical, please feel free to talk to your doctor or the receptionists or you may prefer to make a written complaint/suggestion. You do not need to give your name. We take your concerns, suggestions and complaints seriously. We also welcome positive feedback. However, if you wish to take the matter further and feel that you need to discuss the matter outside of the practice there are several options available including The Medical Registration Board, AMA or Health Care Complaints Commission in Victoria at 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 or Phone 1800 136 066.
