For life threatening emergencies call 000
Every practice develops their own policies and procedures to support operational requirements. We respectfully ask that you work with us in following our procedures to maintain a viable, sustainable business providing health services to the community of Warwick and surrounding areas.
CONSULTATIONS
Our Practice operates on an appointment system. Please ring 4661 3722 to book an appointment.
Please do not wait until you are out of medication, or only have one or two days' supply, as we may not be able to offer you an appointment in that timeframe. It is best to make an appointment when you collect your last repeat prescription for regular medications.
To help minimise waiting times, longer consultation times are available if required. We encourage you to request an extended appointment if you have a number of things to discuss with the doctor.
Medical emergencies will always be given priority.
If you are unsure whether you require a long appointment, please ask our reception staff.
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.
For existing patients, telehealth appointments may be available. Please speak to a receptionist to see if this option is suitable for you.
Walk-ins will be allocated the first available consultation, and will usually be required to wait. The first available appointment may not be on the day an appointment is requested.
FAILURE TO ATTEND A BOOKED APPOINTMENT
Our doctors' and nurses' appointment times are in demand, and we have a waiting list for appointments. We ask that you take note of your appointment details at the time of booking, as we do not send reminder messages. We strongly believe in encouraging patients to take personal responsibility for their health arrangements, including their appointments.
Our Practice has a three-strike policy, ie appointments will not be made available where the patient has accumulated three instances of failing to attend a booked appointment over a 12-month period. This applies to strikes within a family, ie where a parent fails to attend, and also children in their care are not brought in for a booked appointment, this will all count towards the three strikes.
This policy applies when:
Whilst we have a waiting list for appointments, we often cannot fill a last-minute cancellation due to the receptionists being busy attending to other patients. Patients on the waiting list need notice to come in for an appointment at the last minute.
BILLING POLICY
Peppertree Medical is a mixed billing practice and fees vary depending on the time and skill involved in the consultation.
Some patients may be eligible to be bulk billed in accordance with our billing policy. Please ask reception staff for information which explains some of the costs of treatment at Peppertree Medical. We cannot bulk bill everyone due to the low funding this system offers. We are committed to the principle of informed consent, not just for procedures or medication information but also for financial commitment to a consult or service.
Minor Procedures - Minor procedures in the Treatment Room attract a fee which cannot be claimed through Medicare.
WorkCover - We do not bill WorkCover directly for medical expenses until your claim has been accepted and approved. In the meantime, you as the patient remain responsible for the payment of your accounts.
Employment Medicals and Insurance Reports - There is no Medicare rebate for completing medical assessments and reports for third parties including for court cases, life insurance, superannuation and employment medicals. This type of work varies considerably depending on the level of work required and the fee will depend on the time spent to complete the report and will reflect the effort, skills and resources associated with the service.
Q Fever Testing and Vaccination - There is no bulk billing or Medicare rebate for any part of the Q Fever testing and vaccination process, including hand checks.
Please check with the receptionist at the time of booking your appointment for further information.
We endeavour to inform you of anticipated costs at the time of booking your appointment, but this may change depending on the healthcare you receive on the day.
Please note that all accounts are to be paid in full on the day.
We accept cash, Mastercard, Visa or EFTPOS payments.
PRESCRIPTIONS, REFERRALS & RESULTS
A consultation is required for all new or repeat referrals, repeat prescriptions or to discuss results.
Please note that we do not offer a "phone for script" service. An appointment is required and billing will be in accordance with the Practice billing policy.
Please do not wait until you are out of medication, or only have one or two days' supply, as we may not be able to offer you an appointment in that timeframe. It is best to make an appointment when you collect your last repeat prescription for regular medications.
If the doctor requires a consultation with you to discuss results or correspondence from other healthcare providers, you will receive a telephone call from one of our reception staff or the practice nurse asking you to make an appointment. Many medical issues require a review to consider the results of investigation as all test results have implications and you need to know the outcome. Please do not assume that we will contact you if there is an abnormality, as occasionally problems have occurred when results do not get sent to the Practice correctly. If you have ongoing concerns or symptoms, please phone to make an appointment to discuss your results, or make an appointment at the time of your initial consultation.
Reception staff cannot give you your results, except by direction of the doctor.
PATIENT REMINDERS
A reminder or recall system is in place for pap smears and important follow up tests and reviews. However, we encourage patient's to take responsibility for their own health management and keep track of these important reviews as well.
It is the Practice's policy to enroll patients in reminder systems unless otherwise requested by the patient.
PRIVACY
Our Practice collects information from patients primarily to provide proper care and treatment. We have a legal and ethical duty to protect patient information.
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. The Practice Privacy Policy is available for viewing in the reception area.
All staff are committed to our confidentiality policy.
Patient information may have to be disclosed to other doctors, nurses, therapists and medical technicians so that proper healthcare is not compromised.
Patients who have queries about privacy of information are welcome to discuss these matters with their doctor or the Business Manager. A full copy of our Privacy Policy is available at Reception.
PATIENT FEEDBACK
Despite the best intentions, complaints may arise. Patient satisfaction affects health outcomes and our Practice acknowledges that patient complaints are an important source of customer feedback. Our Practice provides patients with the opportunity to provide compliments, complaints or suggestions. If you wish to make a complaint, please request a copy of our complaint form from the receptionist. The form will be treated as strictly confidential and promptly forward to the Business Manager for attention.
The contact details if you wish to lodge a complaint with an external complaints agency are:
The Office of the Health Ombudsman, PO Box 13281 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4003 (ph 07 3319 6350 or email to [email protected]). A copy of our Complaints Management Policy can be viewed in the reception area.
On the other hand, if you wish to make a suggestion to improve our service, or to pay us a compliment, please tell a receptionist or leave a written message in the mailbox in the waiting area. Our staff work very hard to provide a pleasant, courteous and supportive experience for you at Peppertree Medical, so acknowledgement of that is always appreciated.
CONSULTATIONS
Our Practice operates on an appointment system. Please ring 4661 3722 to book an appointment.
Please do not wait until you are out of medication, or only have one or two days' supply, as we may not be able to offer you an appointment in that timeframe. It is best to make an appointment when you collect your last repeat prescription for regular medications.
To help minimise waiting times, longer consultation times are available if required. We encourage you to request an extended appointment if you have a number of things to discuss with the doctor.
Medical emergencies will always be given priority.
If you are unsure whether you require a long appointment, please ask our reception staff.
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.
For existing patients, telehealth appointments may be available. Please speak to a receptionist to see if this option is suitable for you.
Walk-ins will be allocated the first available consultation, and will usually be required to wait. The first available appointment may not be on the day an appointment is requested.
FAILURE TO ATTEND A BOOKED APPOINTMENT
Our doctors' and nurses' appointment times are in demand, and we have a waiting list for appointments. We ask that you take note of your appointment details at the time of booking, as we do not send reminder messages. We strongly believe in encouraging patients to take personal responsibility for their health arrangements, including their appointments.
Our Practice has a three-strike policy, ie appointments will not be made available where the patient has accumulated three instances of failing to attend a booked appointment over a 12-month period. This applies to strikes within a family, ie where a parent fails to attend, and also children in their care are not brought in for a booked appointment, this will all count towards the three strikes.
This policy applies when:
- an appointment is booked and is not cancelled or rescheduled, and not attended, or
- an appointment is cancelled at the last minute and there is insufficient time to book that consultation time for another patient. We request all appointments be cancelled or rescheduled with at least two hours' notice. If a genuine emergency requires a last-minute cancellation, you may be asked to provide supporting information if this instance is not to be counted as a strike.
Whilst we have a waiting list for appointments, we often cannot fill a last-minute cancellation due to the receptionists being busy attending to other patients. Patients on the waiting list need notice to come in for an appointment at the last minute.
BILLING POLICY
Peppertree Medical is a mixed billing practice and fees vary depending on the time and skill involved in the consultation.
Some patients may be eligible to be bulk billed in accordance with our billing policy. Please ask reception staff for information which explains some of the costs of treatment at Peppertree Medical. We cannot bulk bill everyone due to the low funding this system offers. We are committed to the principle of informed consent, not just for procedures or medication information but also for financial commitment to a consult or service.
Minor Procedures - Minor procedures in the Treatment Room attract a fee which cannot be claimed through Medicare.
WorkCover - We do not bill WorkCover directly for medical expenses until your claim has been accepted and approved. In the meantime, you as the patient remain responsible for the payment of your accounts.
Employment Medicals and Insurance Reports - There is no Medicare rebate for completing medical assessments and reports for third parties including for court cases, life insurance, superannuation and employment medicals. This type of work varies considerably depending on the level of work required and the fee will depend on the time spent to complete the report and will reflect the effort, skills and resources associated with the service.
Q Fever Testing and Vaccination - There is no bulk billing or Medicare rebate for any part of the Q Fever testing and vaccination process, including hand checks.
Please check with the receptionist at the time of booking your appointment for further information.
We endeavour to inform you of anticipated costs at the time of booking your appointment, but this may change depending on the healthcare you receive on the day.
Please note that all accounts are to be paid in full on the day.
We accept cash, Mastercard, Visa or EFTPOS payments.
PRESCRIPTIONS, REFERRALS & RESULTS
A consultation is required for all new or repeat referrals, repeat prescriptions or to discuss results.
Please note that we do not offer a "phone for script" service. An appointment is required and billing will be in accordance with the Practice billing policy.
Please do not wait until you are out of medication, or only have one or two days' supply, as we may not be able to offer you an appointment in that timeframe. It is best to make an appointment when you collect your last repeat prescription for regular medications.
If the doctor requires a consultation with you to discuss results or correspondence from other healthcare providers, you will receive a telephone call from one of our reception staff or the practice nurse asking you to make an appointment. Many medical issues require a review to consider the results of investigation as all test results have implications and you need to know the outcome. Please do not assume that we will contact you if there is an abnormality, as occasionally problems have occurred when results do not get sent to the Practice correctly. If you have ongoing concerns or symptoms, please phone to make an appointment to discuss your results, or make an appointment at the time of your initial consultation.
Reception staff cannot give you your results, except by direction of the doctor.
PATIENT REMINDERS
A reminder or recall system is in place for pap smears and important follow up tests and reviews. However, we encourage patient's to take responsibility for their own health management and keep track of these important reviews as well.
It is the Practice's policy to enroll patients in reminder systems unless otherwise requested by the patient.
PRIVACY
Our Practice collects information from patients primarily to provide proper care and treatment. We have a legal and ethical duty to protect patient information.
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. The Practice Privacy Policy is available for viewing in the reception area.
All staff are committed to our confidentiality policy.
Patient information may have to be disclosed to other doctors, nurses, therapists and medical technicians so that proper healthcare is not compromised.
Patients who have queries about privacy of information are welcome to discuss these matters with their doctor or the Business Manager. A full copy of our Privacy Policy is available at Reception.
PATIENT FEEDBACK
Despite the best intentions, complaints may arise. Patient satisfaction affects health outcomes and our Practice acknowledges that patient complaints are an important source of customer feedback. Our Practice provides patients with the opportunity to provide compliments, complaints or suggestions. If you wish to make a complaint, please request a copy of our complaint form from the receptionist. The form will be treated as strictly confidential and promptly forward to the Business Manager for attention.
The contact details if you wish to lodge a complaint with an external complaints agency are:
The Office of the Health Ombudsman, PO Box 13281 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4003 (ph 07 3319 6350 or email to [email protected]). A copy of our Complaints Management Policy can be viewed in the reception area.
On the other hand, if you wish to make a suggestion to improve our service, or to pay us a compliment, please tell a receptionist or leave a written message in the mailbox in the waiting area. Our staff work very hard to provide a pleasant, courteous and supportive experience for you at Peppertree Medical, so acknowledgement of that is always appreciated.