PATIENT INFORMATION

OPENING HOURS

AFTER HOURS MEDICAL SERVICE

For life threatening emergencies,  dial 000 for an ambulance.

Medical advice after hours please call GP Helpline 1800 022 222 to speak to a health professional who will give fast, simple expert advice on what to do next.

 If you require urgent medical attention after hours call  Wallaroo Hospital Accident & Emergency Department or phone 88252309.

The practice provides an after hours service for registered patients only. There will be a $50-$100 out of pocket cost involved for this after hours service depending on the complexity of the consultation. Contact the practice 88252309 and your call will be diverted to the after hours doctor.

EMAIL COMMUNICATION

It is the practice choice and policy not to engage in patient communication via email. Please phone the practice by phone for all communication and any inquiries.

FOR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PATIENTS

We use a Translating and Interpreter service: 131450. Auslan is available for patients who are deaf.

APPOINTMENTS

We are now offering both telephone and in-person consultations. Appointments can be made by phone or you can book online through the website or by using the HOTDOC APP. If you have any flu-like symptoms you must only book a telephone consultation. Every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred time and doctor. If you are unable to obtain an appointment with the doctor of your choice, we will advise you of the availability of other doctors at the time. Urgent medical cases will always be given priority and our practice staff will advise you if there is any unforeseen delay. Text messages are available to your mobile phone to remind you of your appointment.

Long Appointments Available

If you foresee your problem is requiring a longer time, please inform the practice staff so that a long consultation can be booked.

Home Visits

Home visits are available for regular patients with mobility problems or whose condition prevents them from attending the clinic during normal surgery hours. Please speak with our practice nurse to arrange an appointment.

APPOINTMENT FEES AND BILLING

Moonta Medical Centre is a mixed billing practice. We will bulk bill all Pensioners, Commonwealth Senior Health Card Holders, Healthcare card holders and Children under 16 for standard appointments if you present your current Medicare and concession card on the day.

Private fees for a standard consultation and telehealth consultation will apply for all other patients and payment is expected to be paid on the day. 

For clarification on fees and charges, please discuss further with our practice staff.

Payment can be made by cash, cheque, credit card or EFTPOS.

Medicare Rebate can be received by:

• Registered Account – the Medicare refund is deposited directly into the patient’s nominated account. Registration can be completed via forms Bank account details collection form (MS013) – Australian Government Department of Human Services  or at our reception desk.
• Medicare Easyclaim- At the time of payment the rebate will be directed back into a savings or cheque account. (You must have a current EFTPOS card and current pin to authorise this transaction.

If an account remains unpaid after 90 days from the date of service, this will be referred to a debt collector and further appointments will not be booked until the account is cleared.

 Non Attendance of an Appointment

If you do not attend your appointment  a $50.00 fee may be charged. This fee is non-claimable from Medicare.

PHONE CALLS

If you need to speak to a doctor in an emergency, you should contact the surgery and emphasise the urgency. If a doctor is consulting and the matter is non-urgent, a registered nurse is available to take your call and will liaise with the doctor to arrange a time to call you back if required.

RESULTS

Patients are welcome to phone between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm for their test results. We have a system in place to ensure that any abnormal results are identified and acted upon immediately and a nurse or doctor will contact you if the test results require follow-up.

RECALLS & REMINDERS

We are committed to preventative care. We may send you a reminder notice from time to time offering you a preventative health service relevant to your care. The doctor or nurse will seek your permission to be included in our reminder system. If you do not want to be part of this system please advise the practice staff.

UPDATING PATIENT DETAILS

Please inform our practice staff if you or a family member have changed your address, phone number, emergency contact person or left the area so we can update your details.

IMMUNISATIONS

Immunisations are provided via an appointment with the doctor. Please advise the receptionist when making the appointment what immunisations are required if known. Please bring your Medicare card and Blue Book for children.

CULTURAL BACKGROUND

Our practice welcomes the self-identification of cultural backgrounds particularly those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status to assist with delivering culturally appropriate care to our patients. Please inform our staff to update your records.

CODE OF ETHICS

The doctors of this practice endeavour to maintain their skills to the highest level through continuing education. Patients will be treated equally and their privacy and dignity respected.

PRIVACY POLICY

It is the policy of this practice to maintain security and confidentiality of your personal health information including your computerised medical record. This information is only available to authorised members of staff and will not be released without your consent.

All patient consultations and medical records are kept strictly confidential.

Written consent will be gained from patients should they be involved in any research requiring personal information. Otherwise de-identified data may be used for research purposes.

COMPLAINTS

Patient satisfaction affects health outcomes and Moonta Medical Centre acknowledges that patients are an important source of customer feedback. Your suggestions or complaints allow us to improve our services.

The practice takes your concerns, suggestions and complaints seriously and we aim to resolve complaints as they are reported.

If you feel there is a matter that cannot be resolved, the Health Complaints Commissioner can be contacted

Phone: 1800 232 007 or www.hcscc.sa.gov.au