Practice Philosophy

Our aim is to give our patients the highest possible quality of care, by ensuring excellence in all aspects of our practice. We endeavour to provide patients with the best and most current treatments, methods, materials and equipment within our resource capabilities to ensure that the patients receive the high quality of service they have come to expect. We believe that patients come first. Teamwork is highly valued and encouraged within the practice to promote a harmonious and productive environment. We hold great importance in ethical and responsible behaviour as essential to maintain the trust and loyalty of our patients and staff. We practice current, up to date evidence based medicine. We believe that complementary therapies such as chiropractic, osteopathy, and naturopathy have a role to play in total holistic patient care. We do not believe in fads, fashions or unproven therapies.

Medical Services Provided

Comprehensive traditional total family care including:

• Preventative Medical Care
• Women’s Health/Children’s Health
• Men’s Health
• Immunisations/Vaccinations
• Home/Nursing Home/Hostel Visits
• Travellers Medical Advice
• Pathology/Minor Surgical Procedures
• Work Medicals/Insurance Medicals

If you need a blood test all doctors can take blood to be sent to the Pathologist. This practice generally refers to Dorevitch or Melbourne Pathology but is happy to use alternative Pathology providers if required. Please note that Workcover and TAC services are NOT provided by this practice. Patients are advised to attend elsewhere.

Psychological Services Provided

Stress reduction and management. Smoking Cessation. Depression & Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Counselling. Anxiety & Panic Attacks. Relationship Counsellling. Goal Development & Attainment Coaching. Trauma Counselling. Forensic Assessment Services including, psychological assessments and reports, accident and victim's referral provider, Workcover/TAC Provider. Employee Support Programs. Please note that individual and group sessions can be accomodated.

After Hours Care

There is an excellent service provided by The Eastern Suburbs After  Hours GP Service. This is a co-operative of GPs who staff this service. It is situated at 58 Nelson Road Box Hill . Phone number 9899 9980. It is open 8 pm to 11 pm weekdays. On Saturdays it is open from 1 pm to 11.30 pm. Sundays and Public Holidays it is open 12 noon to 11.30 pm. You do not need an appointment. Please note that consultations are privately billed.

If you need to contact a doctor when the surgery is closed, please call our after hours deputising service, ALMS (Australian Local Medical Service) on phone number 132660. This service provides after hours coverage when the clinic is closed. Calls attended by the deputising service are notified to the clinic the next day.

In addition Box Hill Hospital has an accident and Emergency Department at Nelson Street, Box Hill, phone (03) 9895 3333.

There is also an Accident and Emergency Department at Epworth Hospital, 89 Bridge Road, Richmond, phone (03) 9426 6302.

Emergencies

In cases of extreme emergency, for example, patient collapsed, unconscious, severe chest pain, severe asthma attack, please call the ambulance immediately. Whilst every effort is made by the doctors to attend such emergencies immediately, the ambulance service can often get there more quickly and is better equipped with full resuscitation facilities to deal with such emergencies.

Home Visits

Home visits are available for regular patients of the practice who are unable to attend the surgery because of their medical condition. Please phone, early in the morning, to arrange for a home visit later in the day. Visits can also be arranged for patients in nursing homes, hospitals, special accommodation homes, hostels or institutions.

Patient Recall System

Patients will be sent reminder letters to advise them to attend for regular preventative health monitoring. Recall letters, as they fall due, are posted on a monthly basis for tests such as flu injections, immunisations, cholesterol checks, and smear tests.

Pathology & X-Ray Results

It is best to make an appointment to discuss results with the doctor. The doctors look at all test results and instruct the receptionist as to what to say to the patient. Whilst the receptionist may tell you what your result is, remember she is not qualified to INTERPRET the result. Any enquiry about a test result or a specialist’s report should be made directly with the doctor.

Telephoning Your Doctor

You can contact your doctor in this practice by telephoning during the normal Clinic Hours. A message will be taken when the doctor concerned is with another patient. Of course, in an emergency calls will be put straight through.

Management of Your Personal Health Information

Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff.