* Cultural Warning

People of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent should be aware that the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service website may contain images and names of people who are deceased or images of places that could cause sorrow.

MEDICAL

CLINIC

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

The goals and objectives of the VAHS Medical Clinic are to:

  • Provide excellent primary health care to the community
  • Promote, improve and support the quality of life of Community
  • Provide a holistic approach to the physical wellbeing of the person, the family and the Community in a cultural appropriate way
  • Provide holistic health care services to the Aboriginal community through:
  • Assessment, intervention & care planning
  • Advocating on belalf of the patients and the community
  • Providing outreach services and support
  • Providing health promotion and education to Individuals and groups

VAHS will achieve this with a flexible approach that is innovative, embraced by community and sets a standard as a Centre for Excellence for Aboriginal Health internationally

APPOINTMENTS

Appointments can be made by telephone or in person at the Medical reception desk. Medical patients without appointments will be seen by the Duty Doctor based upon priority of need, however, patients with appointments will be given priority at the time of appointment unless there is an emergency. No appointments will be available on Thursday mornings between 9am and 10.30 due to regular staff meetings. Patients who make an appointment and are then unable to attend are encouraged to inform reception of any cancellation.

The Medical appointment system is helpful to those patients who work, are chronically ill or who require regular visits to a Doctor as this results in shorter waiting times. If you have any queries about making an appointment please contact the Medical receptionist or the Clinical Program Manager.

If you require an appointment longer then the 1/2 hour allocated please speak to the Medical receptionist to organise this when you ring to make the appointment or present to the health service without an appointment.

Weekend Appointments

The Medical unit do work on a Saturday between the hours of 9:30am to 12:30pm. This is for patients with an emergency. Only one Health Worker and one Doctor work on this day.

Patients are encouraged to visit the clinic during the week for routine care. During the week all medical team members are available including the Health Workers, Doctors and Pharmacist to assist the patient with more comprehensive care and they have time to manage, provide, refer and support for all areas of the patients needs. Continuity of care will also be maintained through weekday visits.

The phone number for Medical reception is (03) 9419 3000

SPECIALISTS & REFERRALS

Referrals are required if a patient needs to see a Specialist. Often the Doctor will do the referral and wherever possible referral will be to a bulk billing specialist, but this will not always be the case.

Referrals can be arranged for patients to see the dermatologist, Oncologist and Orthopedic surgeon.

Referrals also occur for other programs within VAHS. Some examples of these include referrals to HACC (Home and Community Care), Dental, Women and Children's and Family Counseling.

FEES

VAHS is a bulk billing service. It is important that all patients have an updated Medicare card to enable direct charging to Medicare. Patients who incur any charges outside of the VAHS are to pay their own costs. Those patients who incur costs through VAHS Specialists or the Allied Health Sector are required to pay their own costs.

CONFIDENTIALITY & PRIVACY

All patient health information is considered private and confidential, and therefore will not be disclosed to family, friends, staff or others without the patientŐs consent. This information includes medical details, family information, address, employment and other demographic data.

We promise a confidential service: You say what is included in your notes or not. All health workers at VAHS are committed to respecting your confidentiality.

Whilst you are a patient of VAHS, all efforts are made to ensure your personal information remains confidential. Information is not given to a third party unless specified by the patient in writing. If you want your information transferred from another Doctor/surgery to VAHS you will be asked to sign a release of information form and vice versa if you have decided to see a Doctor that is not part of the VAHS. VAHS encourages any patient to inform VAHS staff immediately if they have any concerns relating to the privacy of their medical records.

Recall and reminder system

Our clinic is committed to preventative care. We may issue you with a reminder notice from time to time offering you preventative health services appropriate to your care. If you do not wish to be a part of this system please let us know at the medical reception.

Management of your personal information

The VAHS keep electronic (computer) medical records to store your information. The computer system has security restrictions which prevent unauthorised staff or anybody else from accessing patients clinical information.

Medical Results

The Medical unit will not give patients pathology or x-ray results over the phone, unless this has been pre-arranged with the doctor at the time of consultation or the doctor contacts the patient to discuss a result. Results will not be given out to clients in any other circumstances.

Valuables or personal belongings

The VAHS will not be held responsible for any loss or damage to personal items nor can VAHS store your belongings. Please do not leave valuable items unattended.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

If any patient or visitor to the VAHS has a grievance with the procedures, staffing or with other patients within the VAHS it is advised that you contact the VAHS administration ASAP and write down your concerns. Patients also have the right to contact the Health Commissioner if they feel their health care has not been sufficient.

Health Services Commissioner: Ph 8601 5222 or www.health.vic.gov.au/hsc

TRANSPORT

The VAHS has three drivers who support those patients who do not have their own means of transport or are severely unwell.

There is a criteria for using the pick up service:

  • patient must live but not limited to 20-30km of the VAHS.
  • Contact must be made for a pick up by 10.30am the morning of the pick up.
  • If needing pick up for hospital appointments contact must be made the day before the appointment.
  • If picked up once you have seen the Doctor please be available for the drivers to take you home, otherwise if called and your not available you may miss your lift home.
  • If you have made a booking for transport and you are not going to be at home to be picked up please inform Medical reception ASAP so the driver does not make the trip to your home for no reason.

* Please be advised that disruptive and or unruly behavior whilst inside the VAHS vehicle will not be tolerated. This type of action could mean your transport may be forfeited or you will not receive further transport for a set amount of time.

Home visits

Home visits are available in some circumstances. Before a home visit will be made by the medical team they will make an assessment of the reason for the request for a home visit to decide if a home visit is appropriate or more urgent action such as calling an ambulance and going to hospital is required. When a home visit is made by the medical team it will usually involve a doctor and an Aboriginal health worker.