First Appointment
Preparing for your first appointment
Please arrive 10 minutes early to fill in your Registration Form or alternatively this can be completed online.
Please bring:
- Referral from your doctor
- Medicare, health fund, Veterans Affair cards
- Any relevant investigations which may include imaging and/or blood tests
At Your Appointment
Your first appointment with Dr Bissell will usually take around 30 minutes.
During this time Dr Bissell will take a detailed history, then perform an examination of the appropriate body part to further assess your symptoms. She will then review any tests you have had and sometimes recommend further imaging which will need to be arranged.
Dr Bissell makes individualised recommendations on further treatment which may or may not include surgery. If surgery is recommended Dr Bissell will discuss the procedure in detail to make sure that you have a clear understanding of the risks and benefits so that you can make an informed decision on whether this is the right option for you.
After your appointment
There is a fee for your consultation that needs to be paid on the day. Part of this fee can be claimed through Medicare, usually directly into your bank account.
Any follow up appointments will be scheduled at this time. These usually last 15 minutes.
A letter will be dictated and sent to your GP (or referring doctor) advising them on Dr Bissell’s findings and recommendations. Please allow time for this to arrive.
Cancellations
We would like to thank you for being a patient in our clinic. We value all of our patients and strive to provide the best care possible in the most comfortable setting. Please understand that when we schedule your appointment, we are reserving time for your individual needs.
We respect your time and we ask for the same courtesy. Therefore, we kindly ask that if you must change or cancel an appointment, please give us at least 24 hours’ notice. Failure to do so may incur a financial penalty.
Missed appointments
We understand that occasional missed appointments can occur for a variety of reasons. Missed appointments also affect our ability to provide timely attention to other patients who may need it.
We track missed appointments. The first missed appointment will be followed up with a phone call to ensure you are ok and still require our services. If you fail to attend two consecutive appointments you will be charged 50% of the full consultation fee. A Medicare rebate cannot be claimed for this fee.
