Moruya Medical Centre

COVID-19 Policies

Due to the ongoing COVID cases and to keep us all as safe as possible, the practice policy continues to require all symptomatic patients (fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath) to produce a negative COVID swab before being seen in the surgery. 

Additionally, whilst restrictions ease, we still require mandatory mask wearing in the waiting/consultation rooms.

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster

Moruya Medical Centre continues to participate in the Australian Governments COVID-19 vaccination roll out, including the latest Pfizer bivalent vaccine.

For up-to-date information please read ATAGI’s advice on COVID-19 booster doses.

Appointments

Appointments can be made in-person, online via our website or by telephoning Reception on 4474 2200. Every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred time. Emergencies will always be given priority.

Standard consultations are 15 minutes. Longer consultation times are available, so please ask our receptionists if you require some extra time. Longer consultations may be required for employment medicals, mental health appointments, health assessments or skin procedures.

If you or a family member require an interpreter service, we can organise this for you. Please inform us when making the appointment. 

After Hours Care Arrangements

For any after hours emergencies please ring the Moruya Hospital on 4474 2666  or GP Helpline 1800 022 222. Our after hours message contains these details.

Fees and Billing Arrangements

Each Health Professional dictates their own method of billing and fees.

Moruya Medical Centre is not a bulk-billing practice.

Fees are payable at the time of consultation by credit card or debit card (Bankcard, Mastercard, Visa or EFTPOS). Medicare refund is available at the time of payment.

The current schedule of fees is displayed in the reception area & waiting room. A Level A consult is $35 (medicare rebate $19.60).  A Level B standard consult is $85.00 (medicare rebate $42.85), an initial consult may require a Level C longer appointment & would incur a fee of $125.00 (medicare rebate $82.90). A Level D prolonged consult costs $225 (medicare rebate $122.15). A standard Telephone consult is $85.00 (medicare rebate $42.85). Other services that may be ordered by the doctor for your health care, including ECG's & spirometry, are charged separately to the consultation fee.

Failure to attend a booked appointment will incur a non rebateable charge of $85.00 for long consultations & $35.00 for standard consultations. 

Non-attendance rates are associated with increased waiting times and healthcare costs.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions should be requested at time of consultation. Remaining up to date with your medications is your responsibility. Should you require an urgent prescription, a script only appointment will be available. 

Home Visits

Home visits are available for regular patients (within a 15km radius) whose condition prevents the from attending the surgery. Your Doctor at the practice may be contacted during normal surgery hours, visits will most likely be carried out after normal surgery hours.  Your problem may be discussed with your Doctor, and it may be decided that, for the benefit of your health, it would be better that an ambulance be called.

Telehealth Attendance

The MBS telehealth consultation item is available to GPs, however this service may only be provided by phone where it is safe and clinically appropriate to do so. It is a legislative requirement that GPs and Other Medical Practitioners working in general practice can only perform a telephone consultation where they have an established clinical relationship with the patient. Please refer to the "Fees & Billing Arrangements" for a list of the current fees.

Due to the Australian Government`s recent compliance changes, Moruya Medical Centre regrets to advice patients that Telehealth Services (including phone consults) will no longer be bulk billed, effective immediately.
Payment for Telehealth Services will be required within 24hours with the appropriate rebates being paid by Medicare, directly into your nominated bank accounts.
Moruya Medical Centre is disappointed with the recent changes and apologises for the inconvenience this may cause.

Electronic Communication

At this time Moruya Medical Centre does not accept requests via the generic email system. Our generic email system is not encrypted and patient information could be intercepted. Where there is no alternate option and a patient would like information sent via email, consent will be obtained, prior to any information being forwarded.

Test Results

Moruya Medical Centre introduced a new results messaging system in July 2020. Once your test results are checked by your doctor & no further action is required, patients will be sent an SMS message notifying them of this. It is important that you contact the surgery to follow up on your test results, if you do not receive an SMS notification.  You should never assume that "no news is good news".  Your GP will advise you when to follow-up after a test, usually within 48 hours.  If your result is of an urgent nature you will be contacted by the surgery, for a non-urgent or routine follow-up a message will be left for the admin team to pass on to you when you phone. 

You can also access some of you health information via My Health Record. For more information and to download the app, go to  http://digitalhealth.gov.au/myhealth

Recall and Reminder System

The health professionals consulting out of Moruya Medical Centre are committed to preventive care.  We may issue you with a reminder call from time to time offering you preventive health services appropriate to your care.  To this end you may be requested to attend an appointment as follow-up.  If you do not wish to be a part of this system please let your GP or the Chronic Disease Management facilitator know.