GP Appointments
Preparing for GP Appointments & Mixed Billing details
| • Codeine • Oxazepam • Temazepam | • Benzodiazepins • Opiates • Pethidine | • Morphine • Valium |
Mixed Billing
Vitalia Healthcare introduced mixed billing for most (but not all) GP appointments on 3rd January 2022.
What does mixed billing mean?
Mixed-billing means that some patients will pay a ‘gap payment’ for appointments. A gap payment is the out-of-pocket cost that is the difference between a GP’s private fee and your Medicare rebate. For our practice, patients eligible for a Medicare rebate will incur an out-of-pocket cost of about $28.00 for your standard or long consults.
Some, patients will continue to be bulk-billed. Please refer to our FEES page for details.
Motor Vehicle Accident Appointments
Patients that present to Vitalia Healthcare medical centre for an appointment as a result of car accident are most welcome.
Please ensure you provide our receptionists with your claim number and date of accident when making your appointment. Please note the first motor vehicle consult to the clinic the patient must pay. When the motor vehicle claim is accepted the patient should be able to claim back the whole amount from the Insurance Commission of WA.
Patient Personal and Health Information
Your medical record is private and confidential. It is always our policy to maintain the security of personal health information. A copy of our detailed Privacy Policy is available at reception and under Patient Forms on this website.
Our practice is registered to participate in, and supports, the digital My Health Record system, if you have any questions please talk to our receptionists for further details.
SMS Messages (Text)
Vitalia Healthcare uses text messages as a reminder service for appointments, results recalls and health reminders. If you do not wish to have a text sent to your mobile phone, please let our receptionist know at your earliest convenience.
Telephone Contact with Doctors
It is often difficult to interrupt GP appointments with a phone call when a doctor is with a patient. As a result, our receptionists will kindly ask you to leave a message. The doctor will try their best to return the call when become available.
Only medical emergency calls will be taken. If you are in urgent need, please call 000. Conversations by telephone are confidential.
GP appointments by phone
Phone consultations are available for patients that have attended the practice in the last 12 months and babies aged 12mo and under. As long as you have a valid Medicare Card or overseas cover with BUPA, Allianz, Medibank and AHM – fees may be applicable.
Arriving for your appointment...
We consistently strive to ensure punctuality, but there are occasions when patients exceed their allocated time. Therefore, we kindly request that patients follow the following booking guidelines in order to assist us in delivering an improved service:
1. New Patients
If you are a new patient please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment to allow yourself time to fill out the New Patient Paperwork.
2. Long or Short GP appointments
While making your appointment, we kindly ask you to consider the appropriate booking. If you have only one matter to discuss, a standard appointment will suffice. However, if you have a care plan or multiple issues to address, we recommend opting for a longer appointment.
3. Ten minutes early
To ensure a smooth and efficient experience for all, we kindly ask that you arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, but if you arrive more than 10 minutes late, it may not be possible for the doctor to accommodate your visit, and we will kindly ask you to reschedule your GP appointment. This policy ensures fairness and enables us to maintain a timely schedule for all patients.
4. SMS reminders
Please call 6559 4788 for an appointment – or read more about phone consultations here.
National Health Scheme
The following are Available as part of the National Health Scheme:
Translation Service
If English is your second language and you require a translator, please inform the receptionist by phone when making the booking or upon arriving at the medical centre.
Recalls
Vitalia Health Care will prioritize preventive care, which may involve periodic outreach via SMS or email to schedule appointments for repeat tests, immunisations, general follow-ups, or sharing pathology results.
However, we respect your preferences, and if you do not wish to receive such reminders, kindly inform our reception team during your next appointment.
We value open communication and want to ensure your healthcare experience aligns with your preferences.
Results
As per our practice policy, we do not provide patient results over the phone. To review your results, we kindly request that you schedule GP appointments with our office.
In the event that your tests or reports reveal any urgent concerns or require a follow-up, our nurse or your doctor will personally reach out to you and assist in booking a consultation. This approach ensures that we can address any important matters in a timely and thorough manner.
Repeat prescriptions ...
If you require a repeat prescription it is practice policy that patients book an appointment to the see the doctor to obtain the script.
The following groups of patients are eligible to receive free government-funded flu vaccinations:
Flu vaccinations are now free through June for all Western Australians.
- individuals aged 65 years or older
- children aged 6 months to students in year 6
- pregnant women (any trimester)
- Aboriginal people 6 months and older
- chronic respiratory conditions
- cardiac disease
- chronic neurological conditions
- impaired immunity
- diabetes and other metabolic disorders
- renal disease
- haematological disorders
- children aged 6 months to 10 years receiving long-term aspirin therapy.
Don't forget to wash your hands...
The Australian Immunisation Register
Your immunisation provider is required to report all influenza vaccinations to the Register. This includes some personal information such as your name, date of birth, contact details, and your Medicare card number.
