Frequently Asked Questions

We ask that payment be made at time of consultation.  If payment presents a problem or you are experiencing financial hardship or exceptional circumstances have occurred, please speak to the practice manager who will be able to assist you. 

A standard appointment is 15 minutes. 

We may issue you with a reminder notice offering you preventative health services appropriate to your care.  This will normally be in the form of an sms to your nominated mobile number.  If you do not wish to be part of this system, please inform reception.

If your doctor has ordered blood tests or other investigations, it is in the best interest of your health to have these tests carried out promptly.  It is also important that you phone the surgery to follow up on these tests and obtain results.  Your doctor will usually leave a message with reception or nursing staff regarding your test results and whether they would like you to make a follow up appointment.

An electronic health record (eHEALTH) is a personally controlled and secure summary of your health history.  You control what goes in it and what medical centre has access to it.  The eHEALTH initiave will enable a safer, higher quality, more equitable and sustainable health system for all Australians.  If you choose to use eHEALTH this will allow Mundingburra Medical Centre to view your past health history and upload new health/event summaries.  It will also allow both you and the medical centre to have comprehensive information on your health history, which would allow for a better understanding of your health and needs.

Our practice is mindful that even if patients have provided electronic contact details, they may not be proficient in communicating via electronic means and patient consent needs to be obtained before engaging in electronic communication. Electronic communication includes email, facsimile and Short Message Service (SMS).

Communication with patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy.

Electronic Communication Policy

E-mail and facsimile communications cannot be relied upon as a confidential means of communicating health information.
This practice has the following policy in relation to e-mail/fax communications to/from patients:

The practice does not use e-mail or facsimile communication as a means of routinely conveying any personal information to patients, ie test results and detailed personal information due to the risk of breach of confidentiality in communicating sensitive information without encryption and persons other than the patient having access to fax machines and the like.

Patients are welcome to e-mail the practice to request an appointment and make general enquiries, however no detailed information will be provided via e-mail or facsimile due to the risk of breach of confidentiality. Only information of a general nature will be forwarded to patients via e-mail or facsimile. In communicating with patients via these means for even matters of a general nature, the following procedure should be followed:

• Patient identity needs to be confirmed using three approved patient identifiers.
• Patient needs to be made aware that their privacy and confidentiality may be compromised by communicating by e-mail without encryption and appropriate responses recorded.
• Patients should be informed that only non-urgent matters should be communicated by e-mail and the best means of contact is by telephone.

Patients will not be provided with copies of test results, medical certificates, referrals or any other personal information via these means.

For general enquiries regarding appointments and the like, a response is to be provided to any communication received within 2 hours wherever possible. Where a response is not possible within this timeframe, for example if something needs to be checked with a doctor etc, then a response must be forwarded to the patient advising that their message has been received and their request is being followed up and a response will be provided as soon as possible. Reception staff and the person responsible for checking e-mails should print the e-mail and bring to Dr’s attention as well as forwarding to the doctor via e-mail for a response.