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Do I need a referral from my GP before I make an appointment? You can contact either our Brunswick or Sandringham Foot Clinic to make an appointment without a referral. However if your treatment is covered through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), or the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Scheme, then a doctor’s referral will be required. Do you have after hour’s appointments? The Brunswick Foot Clinic is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and the Sandringham Foot Clinic is open Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5pm to 8pm; Wednesday mornings from 7.30am to 11am and Saturdays from 7.30am to 2pm. Many of our patients from the Brunswick area find it more convenient to attend our Sandringham clinic on Saturdays, particularly for long appointments such as nail surgeries and when being cast for orthotics. How do I make an appointment? You can telephone our Brunswick or Sandringham clinics directly to make an appointment or you can book online from our website. As the Sandringham Foot Clinic is part time, we are not always able to answer the phone immediately. However, we utilise an efficient message service so please leave a message and one of our staff will get back to you very soon. You can also call Brunswick directly to make an appointment for Sandringham. If we are fully booked on your preferred day we suggest that you ask to be placed on our ‘waiting list’ for a cancellation or reschedule on your preferred day. Will you confirm my appointment? You will receive either a phone call the day before your appointment or an sms message. At both the Brunswick and Sandringham Foot Clinics we confirm our appointments so if we leave a message on your phone please call us back to confirm your appointment. Similarly, when you receive our sms reminder, please reply yes to confirm your appointment. How much will my consultation cost? Fees vary depending on the type of consultation that is required for your needs. Fees also vary between practitioners reflecting their experience. Initial consultations always cost more than follow up consultations. It is best to contact our clinic nearest to you for more information. How long will it take? Initial consultations are 30 minutes and standard consultations are 20 minutes. Please allow extra time as consultations can often take longer, particularly if you have several problems to be assessed. Is podiatry treatment covered by Medicare? At both the Brunswick and Sandringham Foot Clinics we utilise Medicare online which means if you have a registered EPC plan from your doctor, we can submit your claim directly to Medicare on the day of your treatment. You will only need to pay a small terilisation/administration fee at your visit. The Medicare Plus Programme allows up to 5 visit per calendar year. Do you have HICAPS? Yes, so if you have private health cover with extras and you are covered for podiatry, we can swipe your health fund card on the same day of treatment to claim your rebate and you will only pay the gap fee. Rebates will vary according to the level of cover you have. Should I bring my medical history with me? If you have recent x-rays or ultrasound results of a foot or lower leg injuries then bring these to your appointment. If you already have orthotics you should bring these with you and the shoes that you usually wear so that our podiatrist can check them. How often should I see a podiatrist? Your feet work every day, supporting your body with every step. They are enclosed in all manner of footwear, become sweaty, sometimes callused and occasionally painful. You should look after your feet and foot hygiene as you would your teeth. You should have an annual foot assessment to make sure your feet are healthy and to identify early if a problem is developing. Our experienced podiatrists can advise you if there are problems developing and what you can do to avoid such problems. Some diabetic patients and those with poor circulation will need to be seen every 4 weeks for foot care. Our experienced podiatrists will advise you at your initial consultation how often you should return for treatment. Do you do home visits? No |