Question 1

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Online booking for in-person appointments re-starting 9 May 2022

Accepted Answer

We want to make acute care accessible to infectious patients while protecting vulnerable patients and staff. You will be able to book dedicated “Infectious in person appointments” or regular in person appointments.   The “Infectious appointments” are for potentially infectious patients who will enter separately via our driveway and will be seen in our Precaution room at the back of the clinic. There will be a small waiting area at the back. You will see our nurse first for 15 minutes to have your observations done, followed by 15 minutes with our doctor. This appointment will deal with your acute illness ONLY. If you want to discuss other issues, please book a separate appointment to avoid our doctors running late and other sick patients having to wait longer.   For regular in-person appointments, we still encourage you to wait in your car if you are driving, and our nurse/doctor will contact you once they are ready to see you. Face masks remain compulsory in the clinic and must be worn correctly (covering your nose) while inside the clinic. Patients who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations may choose to wait inside the clinic, while those who are unvaccinated are advised to wait in the car or outside the clinic to protect our vulnerable patients and staff.  If you are likely to require a physical examination or if you are unsure, please book an in-person appointment instead of a tele-consult. Otherwise, you will be charged for BOTH the initial tele-consult and the subsequent in-person appointment because you have taken up 2 appointment slots. Medicare rules state that only one of these consults are rebatable, so you will be paying the other in full.

Question 2

Air purifiers to keep us all safe

Accepted Answer

We have implemented a variety of ventilation and filtration infrastructure controls to protect patients and staff from indoor airborne transmission of COVID-19, including: installing well-researched air purifiers with HEPA filters and real-time air quality monitoring throughout the clinic servicing our Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems ensuring adequate air intake and exchange by opening windows and doors intermittently providing an outdoor area for patients to wait weather permitting

Question 3

Out-of-pocket fee for all consultations

Accepted Answer

All consultations with our doctors will have an out-of-pocket fee, including phone consults for results or reviews. Medicare has failed bulkbilling. As a small business which provides quality medical care, we have to charge a gap to sustain our practice. Exceptions apply for some items (refer to Fees section). If you have significant financial difficulties, please discuss with your doctor.

Question 4

Out-of-pocket fee for Aged Pensioners

Accepted Answer

We regret that we can no longer routinely bulk-bill our aged pensioners for all consults from 1st May 2022.   Bulk-billing will continue for:  Annual 75+year old health checks,  Annual chronic disease management plans,  3-monthly reviews of chronic disease management plans, and  Vaccinations with our nurse (except travel vaccinations)  Standard consults outside of this will incur a discounted ‘out of pocket’ fee, ranging from $20 - $35.  How you can reduce costs for yourself:  Keep on top of your repeat scripts and referrals and book ahead to get them organised. 
 Should you only require renewal of a script or existing referral to your specialist, you can ring the clinic to book one of our limited 5-minute ‘script only’ phone appointments – these are bulk billed. 
 All script or referral requests will otherwise incur an out-of-pocket admin fee of $25-30 (without a consult), or a fee for a standard consult (if booked in for a full 15 minute consult).

Question 5

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination sessions

Accepted Answer

We will continue to offer weekly Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination for 16+ years old but we will be reducing our 5 to under 12 years old children Pfizer vaccination to monthly due to limited resources. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Question 6

I need to see a doctor today. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

If you can book online at thecranegp.com.au, please try this first. If you cannot find any appointments online, please call the clinic at 90883258. We have a limited number of appointments available to deal with emergencies on the day which do not show up online. These are booked on a first come, first serve basis and may not be with your regular doctor. We strongly advise that you call us as soon as possible. The later you leave it, the less likely we can accommodate your needs. There may be times where all our doctors are fully booked and it is unsafe to fit any more patients in for the day. If this is the case, our receptionists will advise you to attend another clinic or the Emergency department, and they can email you your health summary if needed.

Question 7

I need to talk to my doctor today. Can they call me back today?

Accepted Answer

You will need to book a phone appointment (fees apply). If your doctor is fully booked on that day or is away, we can send a message to your doctor but this does not guarantee that they can call you back on the same day. Our doctors have appointments booked throughout the day without any breaks, except for lunch. They usually start consulting at 8.30am and finish at 5.30pm. Outside of these hours, they have non-work-related commitments and cannot be expected to ‘stay back’ to call you.

Question 8

I want an appointment with my regular doctor today. Is this possible?

Accepted Answer

Where possible, we will always try to book complex patients in with their regular doctor. We cannot guarantee that you can consult with your regular GP on the same day, but we can pass the message on to your doctor and let you know. Our doctors communicate with each other regularly and maintain thorough clinical notes so rest assure that any doctor in our clinic will have your full medical history and clinical notes to provide you with a thorough consultation. Where another doctor in our clinic provides you with a specialist referral for chronic conditions, the specialist will be advised to re-direct letters back to your regular doctor.

Question 9

I need to see a doctor after hours. Who should I contact?

Accepted Answer

You can contact 13SICK (13 7425) National Home Doctor Service or attend your nearest Emergency Department. You may also like to consider emergency after hours telehealth providers such as: - Healthdirect - MyEmergency Doctor - KidsDocOnCall (subscription required) - Cub Care Urgent Paediatric Consults

Question 10

I have not received any appointment reminders for my upcoming appointment. Should I be worried?

Accepted Answer

You will usually receive a text message to remind you about your upcoming appointment 2 days prior. There are a few reasons why you may not have received this reminder: - you have provided an incorrect mobile number - you do not have a mobile number registered in our system - you have chosen not to receive any text messages from our system - you do not actually have an appointment This is an issue, especially if you have booked a phone appointment. Please ensure you call our reception team to clarify this and confirm your appointment.

Question 11

I have just received a text message about booking a NON-URGENT appointment to discuss my results. I am very anxious and I want an appointment today. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

Please refer to: I need to see a doctor today. What should I do?

Question 12

I am frustrated that my doctor is always running late. What can I do to reduce my waiting time?

Accepted Answer

At times, there can be unexpected emergencies, relating to a physical or mental health issue for a patient, which may take your doctor a longer time to resolve. Our receptionists will always try their best to inform you by text message or phone call if your doctor is running more than 30 minutes late. Sometimes, this may not happen if our receptionists are inundated with phone calls and administrative work. There are some pro-active steps you can take to reduce your waiting time: - please call the clinic ahead of time to check if your doctor is running late. We can always re-schedule your appointment if necessary. - where possible, please allow about 30 – 60 minutes leeway in your schedule when booking your appointment - please attend your appointment on time – if you are late, your appointment will be shortened or cancelled (fees may apply) to prevent your doctor from running late for their next patient - please respect your appointment duration with your doctor. A Standard 15-minute appointment can usually only cover ONE issue, allowing for history taking, physical examination, discussion of the management plan and paperwork time to complete scripts and referrals. A Long 30-minute appointment can usually cover TWO issues, and a Prolonged 45-minute appointment THREE issues. You are advised to present your list of issues to your doctor at the start of the appointment to negotiate the agenda and how much time is required. You may be required to book another appointment to follow up on the rest of your issues to prevent your doctor from running late for their next patient.

Question 13

My doctor is fully booked for the next few weeks. Can I put myself on a cancellation list to try for an earlier appointment?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can do this by calling our receptionist. We endeavour to keep our waiting times for non-urgent appointments within 2-3 weeks but sometimes this may not be possible when our doctors are on leave.

Question 14

My child is booked in for an immunisation appointment with the nurse. Can I ask the nurse and doctor for clinical advice unrelated to the immunisation during this appointment?

Accepted Answer

Immunisation appointments are booked with the nurse only and your doctor will greet you briefly to check that the vaccine/s are correct. Our nurse will routinely measure your child’s weight at ages 6 weeks, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 4 years old. There will not be enough time for your doctor or nurse to provide you with clinical advice unrelated to the immunisation. You will need to book a separate appointment for this.

Question 15

Repeat script/specialist referral only appointments – how many scripts or referrals can I request? Can I discuss and request a NEW script/referral? Can I discuss other issues?

Accepted Answer

A Repeat script/specialist referral only appointment only last for 5 minutes and is bulk-billed. Please book with your regular GP preferably. You can request up to 2 scripts or 1 referral only at any one time. These scripts or referrals must already exist in your medical records at our clinic. Repeat referrals only apply to specialists and do not include psychologists/mental health care plans or allied health professional/care plan referral. If you would like to discuss starting a new medication or seeing a new specialist/allied health professional, you will need to book a separate appointment. There is not enough time to discuss other issues during this appointment. You may incur a fee should this happen.

Question 16

Can I please see the Nurse about my urgent medical issue so she can discuss this with my doctor?

Accepted Answer

No, this is not safe. Our nurses are not trained to diagnose and manage a medical issue. If you cannot get an appointment with any of our doctors, it means they are fully booked and do not have time for another consultation, even if it was with the Nurse.

Question 17

Does your clinic see any walk-in patients?

Accepted Answer

Only if we have appointments with our doctors. Otherwise, we will refer you elsewhere.

Question 18

I require a fitness to drive assessment (Vicroads, Commercial driving etc) with my doctor. Do I have to book specifically for this and is there a fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You are required to book a specific “Fitness to Drive Assessment” appointment which includes seeing the nurse first for 15 minutes, followed by 30 minutes with your doctor. The same process applies for a renewal of your existing fitness to drive recommendation. Please bring along any relevant paperwork. Please do not hand this to your doctor during a regular appointment and expect your doctor to complete it at their own time. These assessments are privately billed and may not always attract a Medicare rebate, so please check with your doctor before booking.

Question 19

I require my doctor to complete my application for an accessible/disabled car park permit. Do I need an appointment?

Accepted Answer

Yes, please book a 15-minute appointment with your doctor to complete this. Unfortunately, our doctors do not have time to complete this without an appointment. Please ensure you have completed your part first and bring along your Reference number or application form.

Question 20

I require a Medical assessment for work. Do I have to book specifically for this and is there a fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You are required to book a specific “Work-related Medical Assessment” appointment which includes seeing the nurse first for 15 minutes, followed by 30 minutes with your doctor. Please bring along any relevant paperwork. These assessments are privately billed and do not attract a Medicare rebate. You will have to pay upfront and pass the invoice on to your employer if you want to claim from them.

Question 21

I need my doctor to complete paperwork for Centrelink. Do I need an appointment? Is there a fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you need an appointment with your doctor. The fees will depend on the length of your consultation or any arrangements you make with the doctor.

Question 22

I need my doctor to complete paperwork to facilitate an insurance related matter (ie application, claim). Do I need an appointment? Is there a fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you need an appointment to discuss this with your doctor. Please ensure you email the relevant paperwork to admin@thecranegp.com.au at least 2 days before your appointment. Please be aware that you may not always get the full Medicare rebate for the time spent completing this paperwork and you will incur a fee based on the amount of time your doctor spends on it. We do not bulk-bill these appointments.

Question 23

I would like my doctor to complete an NDIS application. Do I need an appointment? Is there a fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you need an appointment to discuss this with your doctor. Please ensure you email the relevant paperwork to admin@thecranegp.com.au at least 2 days before your appointment. Please be aware that you may not always get the full medicare rebate for the time spent on completing this paperwork and you will incur a fee based on the amount of time your doctor spends on it. We do not bulk-bill these appointments but you are welcomed to discuss with your doctor if you have financial difficulties.

Question 24

I have a Workcover claim and I require paperwork to be completed. Do I need an appointment?

Accepted Answer

If you require a Workcover medical certificate or scripts/referrals related to your Workcover claim, yes, you will need an appointment. Please note that Workcover does not pay for any scripts/referrals outside of the consultation and you will have to cover the cost yourself. If Workcover requires a medical report to be completed for your claim, they will usually email or fax a request to your doctor. We will invoice accordingly and once paid by Workcover, we will submit the report.

Question 25

I have just booked an appointment. Do I get a confirmation text message?

Accepted Answer

You should always get a confirmation text message within a few minutes of booking your appointment online or over the phone with our receptionists. We encourage you to download the free clinic app AMS Connect via your app store and follow the prompts. This app will display all your appointments and allow you to make changes. You can also include your family members and manage their appointments under the same app. You may not get a confirmation text message if your doctor or nurse booked your next appointment during your consultation. You can call our receptionists or check your app to confirm this.

Question 26

I have received a text message asking me to book an appointment with my doctor AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. How long can this wait?

Accepted Answer

This means you have an URGENT abnormal result which requires discussion with your doctor, usually within 1-2 days. Our nurse will call you to ensure you are booked in accordingly if you have not done so.

Question 27

I have received a text message asking me to book a NON-URGENT appointment to discuss my results. How long can this wait?

Accepted Answer

Please book an appointment within 1-2 weeks of receiving this text message. It is reasonable for your appointment to take place within 4 weeks of receiving this text message.

Question 28

Do I have to reply to the Appointment Reminder text message prior to my upcoming appointment?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You will be sent a second reminder text message 24 hours later if you do not reply. Failure to reply before the day of your appointment may result in the cancellation of your appointment (fees apply). For some higher value appointments (eg. long appointments, procedures etc), you may receive a phone call to confirm your appointment if you fail to reply by text.

Question 29

Can I leave a voice message on the clinic phone after hours?

Accepted Answer

No. Please call us back during business hours or send us an email at admin@thecranegp.com.au.

Question 30

Can I email my doctor or nurse?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not encourage this unless a prior arrangement has been made with your doctor or nurse. Email is not a safe platform for timely clinical communication or appointment booking, and our emails are not constantly monitored. If you have a matter to discuss with your doctor or nurse, please book an appointment. If you still choose to email your doctor or nurse, please be aware that they are not obliged to reply.

Question 31

Can I book/reschedule/cancel my appointment by sending an email or completing the online form on your clinic website?

Accepted Answer

We do not encourage this because email is not a suitable platform for time dependant matters such as appointment bookings. Our emails and online forms are not constantly monitored and it may take up to 3 business days for us to respond. We encourage you to download the free clinic app AMS Connect via your app store and follow the prompts. This app will display all your appointments and allow you to make changes. You can also include your family members and manage their appointments under the same app. You can also manage your appointments at http://ams.2.vu/TCGPMMyAppt If you cannot change your appointment online, please call the clinic.

Question 32

Is there someone I can speak to, to escalate a matter, to provide constructive feedback or to make a complaint?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can call the clinic and ask to speak with our Practice Manager.

Question 33

Do you routinely bulk-bill?

Accepted Answer

No, we are a private-billing clinic. Please refer to “Medicare has failed bulk-billing” on why we do not routinely bulk-bill. There is a gap fee of at least $20 in all our consults but if you have any significant financial difficulties, please discuss with your doctor. The items that we bulk-bill include GP Management Plans (GPMP), Team Care Arrangements (TCA), Review of GPMP/TCA, 75+ years old Health Checks, once-off 45-49 years old Health Checks and Aboriginal Health Checks. You can check your eligibility for these with your regular doctor.

Question 34

Do you bulk-bill aged pensioners/healthcare card holders/concession card holders/full-time students?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not routinely bulk-bill aged pensioners/healthcare card holders/concession card holders/full-time students. We provide a discounted rate for this group of patients. Your pensioner or concession card, or student ID, must be up to date to be eligible for this discount.

Question 35

I have a follow up or review consultation booked with my doctor. Is this bulk-billed?

Accepted Answer

No, this is not routinely bulk-billed.

Question 36

If my doctor runs late, will I be bulk-billed?

Accepted Answer

No, you will not be bulk-billed.

Question 37

I would like to speak to my doctor about my results, even if they are normal. Will I be bulk-billed?

Accepted Answer

No, this is not routinely bulk-billed.

Question 38

I just need an appointment for a quick script or referral. Will I be bulk-billed?

Accepted Answer

No, you will not be routinely bulk-billed unless you have booked a dedicated repeat script/referral appointment.

Question 39

I would like to request a repeat script or referral without seeing my doctor. Is this possible? Is there a fee?

Accepted Answer

Yes, repeat scripts without a consultation are possible for most medications except medications deemed addictive such as opiates, benzodiazepines and ADHD stimulant medications. Please make an appointment with your regular doctor for these. Requests will only be completed by your regular doctor at the clinic. The issuing of the repeat script will be entirely under the discretion of the doctor and will only be considered for medications that have previously been approved and prescribed to you by this practice and are due for renewal. A repeat referral without a consultation is only possible for a specialist that you have been consulting for an ongoing problem. This does not apply to a new issue which you have not consulted with the specialist before. If you have not had a consultation with your doctor in the last 12 months, your request may be rejected by your doctor and you will need to book an appointment. There is a $25 fee for a non-urgent request of up to 2 scripts OR 1 referral only. Please allow 3 business days for this to be processed. If you require the scripts or referral more urgently, there is a higher fee of $35 to cover for the interruption to your doctor’s work schedule and their time. Please ensure you advise our receptionists on how soon you require these. There may be rare occasions where our doctors are too busy and we may not be able to facilitate an urgent request. Please always organise your scripts and referrals ahead of time to avoid unnecessary stress for everyone.

Question 40

I have sustained an injury at my workplace and I would like to claim my consultation under Workcover. Do I have to pay for my consultation/s?

Accepted Answer

For your initial consultation, you will have to pay upfront, and we will provide you with an invoice to submit with your claim to Workcover. We cannot invoice Workcover directly until your claim has been approved and a claim number generated. Please provide us with your claim number as soon as possible so that future payments related to the Workcover injury can be sent directly to Workcover.

Question 41

I was involved in a road accident and I would like to claim under TAC. Do I have to pay for my consultation/s?

Accepted Answer

This is similar to Workcover claims. Please refer to the above question.

Question 42

I am a doctor. Do you routinely bulk-bill doctors?

Accepted Answer

We do not routinely bulk-bill doctors.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Crane General Practice