Frequently asked questions

What does a paediatrician do? How do I get to see the paediatrician? Appointments and Cancellations Should I bring anything to the consultation? Payment Repeat prescriptions Telephone calls What does a  paediatrician do? Paediatricians  are specialists in the physical, developmental and psychological care of infants, children and adolescents. In Australia, specialist  paediatricians have completed a minimum of 6 years training at  university in general medicine followed by a further 6 years training in a paediatric training program. The paediatricians at the Albury-Wodonga Paediatric Group are members of the Royal Australasian College of  Physicians (Paediatrics). How do I get to see the  paediatrician? In general, you will need a referral from another doctor such as your GP, another  specialist doctor, or a hospital doctor. If follow-up after a hospital  admission has been arranged, the referral will come from the hospital. A referral from your GP will usually last for 12 months but can occasionally be an indefinite referral (at the discretion of the GP). A  referral from another specialist (e.g. a surgeon) is limited by Medicare to 3 months. Please note: once the referral period has expired, failure to obtain a new referral will significantly reduce your Medicare  rebate. Return to top Appointments and Cancellations All appointments are made through our  Albury office. The initial consultation will usually take up to 40 minutes, with  follow-up consultations around 20 minutes. If you are unable to keep an  appointment, please notify the office as soon as possible so we can  offer an appointment to another child. There is a cancellation fee if  less than 24 hours notice is given. Return to top Should I bring anything  to the consultation? It can be useful to bring the following: The  referral letter Any reports (e,g, from a Speech pathologist) Any  previous letters from other health professionals It can be very  useful to write down a list of any questions ahead of time. Many  people find it helpful to bring a friend or relative along as another pair of ears. Return to top Payments We request payment on the day of consultation. A discount will apply if the account is settled on the day of the consultation. Major credit cards and EFTPOS are  accepted. Gap payments must be made on the day. A discount rate is  offered to those on a single parent pension, unemployment or invalid  pension. Cheques are not accepted. Return to top Repeat  prescriptions Generally,  prescriptions will only be given at the time of appointment. A cost may  be incurred for prescriptions requested by phone. Return to top Telephone calls Our staff will endeavor to  answer all your enquiries. If you need to speak with a paediatrician who is unavailable, a message will be taken by staff and the paediatrician  will contact you when possible. You may consider making an appointment  should your queries be many or complex. Return to top