Policies

Home Visits 

Home visits are only available for regular patients by arrangement with their doctor.

Communication services

Patients who require communication assistance are requested to advise our reception staff who will make the necessary arrangements for an interpreter to be available.

Communication/telephone policy 

If you need to contact the doctors in the practice by telephone during normal surgery hours, a message will be taken and an appointment slot with the doctor booked. If the matter is urgent and a nurse is available, reception will put the call through to the nurse or speak to a doctor about your concerns. If you have more than a minor enquiry it is preferable to make an appointment.
 
We do offer Telehealth appointments if you are unable to attend the surgery in person.
You will need to book an appointment for all prescriptions and referral requests. 

Email policy
We do not respond to requests for information or appointment bookings via email.
We only use email to transfer documents to patients with their permission and their acknowledgment that email is not a 100% secure form of communication.

Medicare eligibility rules apply
– to receive a Medicare rebate for a Telehealth consultation, a patient must have attended the practice in person within the previous 12 months. 
If not eligible the patient can opt to pay PRIVATELY for the telephone call.

Test results

We will try to contact you by text or a letter via Hot Doc if your pathology or radiology results are abnormal. Please bear in mind that this requires accurate phone numbers and addresses. Please update your details as needed. 

It is expected that you take responsibility for your results by ringing after 2.30pm at least 24 hours after you have had tests done to check that they have been received, checked by the doctor and that they really are OK and that they just haven’t disappeared into a black hole. Our practice nurses are able to give the doctor’s comments on the results over the phone, once the doctor has reviewed them.  These are normally available after 2.30pm each day. 

Recalls & Reminders

Our practice is committed to preventative healthcare. Ourimbah Surgery has a recall system in place to help remind you about important visits and vaccinations. Some services will not automatically be put on the recall system and they will need to be discussed with the nurse or doctor. 

Recalls and Reminders (eg Pap Register, Bowel Screen) are also available through National, State or Territory Systems. 
If you DO NOT wish to be a part of these please advise your doctor.

Management of patient health information/Confidentiality 

Ourimbah Surgery would like to reassure you, that all your personal and medical details are dealt with in a confidential manner.  No information will be shared with a Third Party without your prior consent.

This Practice is bound by the Federal Privacy Act (1988) and National Privacy Principles, and also complies with the NSW Health Records and Information Privacy Act (2002). 

PLEASE ASK TO SEE A COPY OF OUR PRIVACY POLICY.

Patient rights

Patients have the right, and are encouraged, to participate in decisions about their healthcare.

Engaging with other services & referrals

Our practice regularly engages with local health services, such as specialists, allied health and hospitals. 
If required, your GP will provide sufficient information (referral letter) to plan and facilitate optimal patient care.