As you know the situation with COVID-19 is changing day by day. We want to assure our patients at Crestwood Family Practice that your health and wellbeing is our priority. We want to continue to provide you with the health service that you need.
You may have noticed that we are taking extra precautions at our practice, including asking patients who have respiratory symptoms or have been travelling overseas to call before they come and wait in the car whilst waiting to be seen. We are also using special purpose wipes and cleaning equipment, on top of the universal infection control precautions we take as health professionals.
We want you to know that we are here for you.
TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT CALL 02 9836 1022 OR CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE
In response to the recent Commonwealth Government’s announcement on Telehealth funding, we have set up a telephone consultation service (“Telehealth”) for our patients. This funding ends in September 2020, unless extended by the government. This is for certain eligible and at-risk patients.
To organise a Telehealth appointment please call and speak to our reception team.
The primary role of Telehealth is to provide routine care to our vulnerable patients by keeping them at home, and to assist someone who has been asked to self-isolate at home.
Medicare funds bulk billed Telehealth consultations if:
– You are 70 old years and over
– You are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian 50 years of age or older
– You have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung problems, and immunity problems
– You are an enrolled Health Care Home patient
– You are pregnant
– You are the parent of a child under 1 yr of age
– Have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 and have been asked to self-isolate at home by a medical professional or the National COVID-19 hotline
– Have been travelling overseas in the last 2 weeks and have been asked to self-isolate at home.
– Have a cough or flu-like illness and have been asked to self-isolate at home by a medical professional or the National COVID-19 hotline
These criteria may change with time.
However, Telehealth is not suitable for everything. Your safety is paramount, and hence Telehealth is not possible if we need to examine you or see you in person. Your doctor and our team will help you make that decision. In the near future, we will be conducting Telehealth consultations for patients who do not fit these Medicare criteria (but this will incur a private charge).
Examples of consultations that may be suitable for Telehealth include such things as:
– General advice about minor ailments
– Routine prescriptions and referrals
– General advice and discussions about your health condition that does not require a physical examination
– Some preventative health advice
– Counselling on the advice of your doctor
– Nursing consultations on the advice of your nurse of doctor
– Follow-up where suitable and informed by your doctor
For most other things, a normal face-to-face consultation is best. Please check with our team before booking a Telehealth consultation.