Platinum Health Group Our Practices

Practice Information

APPOINTMENTS

Consultation is by Appointment. Please phone one of our Medical Practices for an appointment. Every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred doctor and appointment time. However, if your Doctor is unavailable, you will be offered an appointment with other Doctors within our Practice/s.

Our Doctors make every effort to talk directly with patients in the case of an emergency

Doctors may be contacted during normal surgery hours. If a doctor is with a patient, your message will be relayed and the Doctor will return your message or call you as soon as possible. Alternatively, a Practice Nurse may be able to assist you should your Doctor be unavailable.

A Standard Consultation is 10 minutes, longer consultation times are available. Please inform our receptionist if you require extra time or if you have more than one item to discuss with your doctor. If you are attending for a Health Assessment, Care Plan, Medical Examination or a Minor Procedure, please inform the receptionist for an appropriate appointment.

For some consultations over 20 minutes, in the prior 24 hours, we will send a reminder text message to your contact number or call you.

AFTER HOURS CARE

Platinum operates after hours care at two locations.

St Andrews Toowoomba Medical Centre

Monday to Friday 5:30 pm to 7:00pm

Saturday 8:00am to 12:00 pm

Sunday 9:00am to 12:00pm

Public Holiday 9:00 am to 12:00pm (except Good Friday & Christmas Day)

Village Medical Centre

Saturday 8:00am to 12:00 pm

Calls to Platinum in Non-Consultation times are redirected to our On-Call Doctor.

HOME, HOSPITAL, AND NURSING HOME VISITS

Home visits are for patients of our Practices whose condition prevents them from attending the medical practice centre. Please contact our receptionist if you require a home visit. Hospital or Nursing Home visits are also available for in-patient care for existing patients.

FAMILY / PERSONAL CARE

Our Doctors and Nurses provide a comprehensive range of services including Chronic Health Care and Management, Health Assessments, Care Plans, Veterans’ Affairs Assessments, Wound Management, Mental Health, Diabetic Management, Cardiac Risk Management, Medication Reviews, Nursing Home visits, Women’s Health, Skin Checks and Excisions, Vaccinations (including Q-Fever), Audiology, Travel Medicine, 24 hour Blood Pressure Monitoring, Circumcision and more.

We provide Medicals for Employment Health Checks, WorkCover, Annual Check-ups and for Insurance purposes.

Platinum retains the services of Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Diabetic Educator and a Podiatrist.

REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS

Where possible, scripts should be requested during a consultation. It is also possible to make a short Script-only Appointment. Alternatively, you may request a script via phone if you have seen your doctor within the last six months.

Scripts will usually take 24 to 48 hours from the time of the request. A fee is usually charged for phone requested scripts. This will be confirmed at the time of calling.

We do not routinely post, fax or send scripts to pharmacies. A $15 fee is the usual fee, payable at the time of collection.

TEST RESULTS

Generally, at consultation, your Doctor will advise you when results are expected. Your results may then be obtained by phoning the Practice. A Nurse or Receptionist can provide some results. Alternatively, the Doctor may contact you to discuss or advise if an appointment needs to be made.

PATIENT REMINDER SYSTEM

Our Practices are committed to preventive health care and may recall you for routine screening and tests. Your doctor will seek your permission to be included on our reminder system. We may issue you with a reminder letter from time to time offering you preventive health services appropriate to your care. If you do not wish to be part of this system please let your doctor or receptionist know.

MEDICARE CLAIM

Our Practices can send your claim online to Medicare (T 132 150). In order to do this, you need to provide Medicare with your bank details.

Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of Platinum to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff. The Platinum Health Group Privacy Policy is available upon request from Reception.

We abide by the thirteen Australian Privacy Principles available at https://www.oaic.gov.au/agencies-and-organisations/guides/app-quick-reference-tool

YOUR RIGHTS

At Platinum, we sincerely wish to receive feedback from our patient. Please feel free to talk to your Doctor or a Receptionist. You may prefer to write to us or use the suggestion box located in the Reception Area of each Practice.

If a matter cannot be resolved with us to your satisfaction, you may want to contact any of the following government authorities.

Office of the Health Ombudsman

T 133 646

E complaints@oho.qld.gov.au

Write PO Box 13281. George Street, Brisbane 4003

Australian Medical Association

T 07 3872 222

Medical Board of Australia

T 07 3225 2509

Web enquiry form www.ahpra.gov.au/About-APHRA/contract-Us/Make-an-enquiry.aspx

Write Level 18, 179 Turbot Street Brisbane 4000

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

T 1300 419 493

Platinum Health Group Email Disclaimer 2017

Note: This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are privileged and confidential information intended for the use of the addressee. Neither the confidentiality of nor any privilege in the e-mail is waived, lost or destroyed by the reason that it has been transmitted other than to the addressee.

If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail you are hereby notified that you must not disseminate, copy or take any action in reliance.

If you no longer wish to receive emails from the sender or from Platinum Health Group please contact the sender on the above number and advise.

Platinum Health Group Pty Ltd

ABN 94 127 365 824.

280 North Street

TOOWOOMBA QLD 4350

Ph: 07 4690 7000 Fax: 07 4634 7000

10 TIPS FOR SAFER HEALTH CARE

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health publishes a brochure on the above.

A summary version of the tips

1 Be actively involved in your own health care

Take part in every decision to help prevent things from going wrong and to get the best possible care for your needs.

2 Speak up if you have any questions or concerns

Ask questions. Expect answers that you can understand. Ask a family member, carer or interpreter to be there with you if you want

3 Learn more about your condition or treatments

Collect as much reliable information as you can.

Ask your health care professional:

what should I look out for?
please tell me more about my condition, tests and treatment
how will tests or treatments help me and what is involved?
what are the risks and what is likely to happen if I do not have this treatment.

4 Keep a list of all the medicines you are taking

Include:

prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines and complementary medicines (such as vitamins and herbs); and
Information about drug allergies you may have.

5 Make sure you understand the medicines you are taking

Read the label, including the warnings.

Make sure it is what your doctor ordered for you.

Ask about:

directions for use;
possible side effects or interactions; and
how long do I need to take this medicine?

6 Get the results of any test or procedure

Call your doctor to find out your results.

Ask what they mean for your care.

7 Talk to your doctor about your options if you need to go into hospital

Ask:

how quickly do I need to have this treatment?
is there an option to have the surgery/procedure done as a day patient or in an alternative hospital?

8 Make sure you understand what will happen if you need surgery or a procedure

Ask:

what will the surgery or procedure involve and are there any risks?
are there other possible treatments?
how much will it cost?

Tell your health care professional if you have allergies or if you have ever had a bad reaction to an anaesthetic or any other drug.

9 Make sure you, your doctor and your surgeon all agree on exactly what will be done during the operation

Confirm which operation to be performed and where, as close as possible to it happening.

10 Before you leave hospital, ask your doctor or other health care professionals to explain the treatment plan you will use at home

Make sure you understand your continuing treatment, medicines and follow-up care.

Visit your GP as soon as possible after you are discharged.

DOCTORS QUALIFICATIONS

Platinum Health Group Doctors are all leaders in their chosen fields and very highly qualified. To help our Patients to understand the professional terminology, we have included the Qualifications Key below to recognise what the letters after our Doctor's name mean and the practicing certifications that they hold.

FRACGP - Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

FARGP - Fellow of the Advanced Rural General Practice

MBBS - Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Major