Practice Policies

Autonomy

It is the policy of AMC that all doctors have complete autonomy in clinical decision making, in whom they refer patients to, and to which pathology and diagnostic imaging services they refer.

Childhood Immunisations

Visits for scheduled childhood immunisations will be bulk-billed.

Documents and Forms

Sometimes a third party will ask you to have forms filled out by your doctor. Examples of these include:- Proof of Immunisation certificates, Centrelink forms, Disabled Parking applications and childcare/school allergy or school camp asthma plans. Please make an appointment to see your doctor for all forms as they can be complex and need clarification from you. We are not able to complete paperwork without an appointment and our normal fees will apply.

Feedback and Complaints

We are always keen to receive feedback about any of our services. Regular surveys are conducted in our waiting room, so occasionally you may be asked to complete one of these. If there are other matters you wish to raise with the practice, you may write to the Practice Manager. If you need to take the matter further, you may write to the Health Services Commissioner, Level 30, 570 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000. Phone: 8601 5200, Fax: 8601 5219.

Home Visits

Home visits may be available to regular patients of the Clinic. Please call before 10am if you require a visit. If a doctor is not available, our locum service can be utilised after hours who will provide a report for your local doctor.

Prescriptions and Referrals

For medico-legal reasons and to ensure optimal continuity of care, it is preferable for you to see a doctor to obtain prescriptions or repeat referrals. In certain circumstances, your doctor may agree to leave a prescription or referral for collection. This is at the discretion of your doctor who may insist on an appointment.  An administration fee of $20 will be charged. Prescriptions and referrals will not be mailed and you are required to pay the administration fee at the time of collection.

Privacy

Your privacy has always been a high priority at AMC. We take great care of private information about you that is held in our records, and we comply with both the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Privacy Act 1998. Our Privacy Policy outlines how we protect your personal information and the circumstances in which it may be used.

Reminder System

To improve continuity of care, we offer a reminder service. If, for some reason you do not wish to use this service, please notify us. While we make every effort to send reminder letters, we must stress that it is your responsibility to return for further assessment or check-ups if your doctor has indicated this is necessary. We are trialling an opt-in SMS reminder system and you may be asked your consent to receive reminders in this way.

Results of Investigations

For medico-legal reasons, patients are asked to make an appointment for results of investigations. Results of investigations will not be given to you over the telephone by nursing or reception staff or by doctors other than the one who ordered the test.

Telephone Calls to Your Doctor

If you phone the Clinic requesting to speak to your doctor, you may be asked to leave a number on which you can be contacted. Most doctors return phone calls at the end of their session (either during their lunch break or at the end of the day). If the matter is urgent, either your doctor, another doctor or the practice nurse will be able to take your call immediately. Please understand that in many instances, the doctor or nurse will be unable to provide advice over the telephone. AMC is very conscious of the risk of providing incorrect advice over the phone, and wherever possible, patients are encouraged to attend the clinic in person.