Patient Information

247 Doctor Service is a Fully Accredited (Agpal) After Hours Medical Deputising Service. We see patients in their home, businesses or nursing homes and aged care facilities.

Billing

247 Doctor Service bulk bill all eligible patients with a Medicare or DVA card. We also Bulk bill overseas student patients with OSHC insurance with Allianz, Medibank and NIB.  Patients without a Medicare card can also be seen and pay a $150.00 Fee for service.  Please check with our Call Centre regarding this charge.

Doctors

• All our Doctors are qualified and trained general practitioners, with some having Specialist Training in a range of areas.
• Our Doctors are fully equipped to treat urgent, Non-Emergency conditions in the home.

Reports

• Your Doctor will receive a detailed report (If applicable), about your condition which will be faxed the following day.

Test Results

• Any Pathology or X-Ray request results will be sent to 247 Doctor Service and your nominated General Practitioner for follow-up by your General Practitioner... If you do not have a General Practitioner, the results will be followed up by 247 Doctor Service, and you will be informed of the results.

Management of Your Personal Health Information

As we only provide care outside normal opening hours, we do not hold active patient health records as defined in the Standards. We will retain for each patient that 247 Doctor Service sees outside normal opening hours, some basic health records. Our patient health records include patient identification; contact and demographic information including:

• Patient’s full name ,date of birth , gender (as stated by the patient)
• Phone number(s)
• Address
• Medical history (where known)
• Consultation notes (for care outside normal opening hours and home visits)
• Letters received from hospitals or consultants
• Other clinical correspondence, investigations or referrals, and results

• Your medical records are kept in a confidential manner. 247 Doctor Service service maintains the security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff. We abide by the National Privacy Principles available at  www.privacy.gov.au/index.html

Pain Management

Everyone suffer chronic pain from time to time. While it may have a debilitating effect for a short time, it is sometimes merely irritating and will not last long. All of us, at some time, suffer pain. A pain relief medication may be required in the short term and our Doctors can prescribe this to suit your condition.

When pain lasts for a long time is called chronic pain. This type of pain needs to be managed in an ongoing manner.
If you suffer from chronic pain you are advised to first speak to your regular GP who can then refer you to see a pain management specialist who will be able to set you up with a pain management plan.

If you are calling the After Hours doctor for your chronic pain related condition, you will be required to supply them with a copy of your pain management plan.

After Hours Visiting Services are not able to implement a Pain Management plan in the home.

After Hours Doctors do not carry drugs of addiction (S8) which are known as opioids or narcotics and they adhere to a strict narcotics policy. They also do not write prescriptions for this type of medication.

For information on pain management.
https://www.painmanagement.org.au/
http://www.painaustralia.org.au/

After Hours Medical Services are also able to supply you with a referral for Blood Tests and X-Ray investigations.
All results will be sent to your regular GP for follow-up with you.

Where you do not have a regular GP, the Visiting Doctor will follow up results with you.