We recommend that adults and children over 12 wear face masks when attending our clinic, but no longer provide masks to patients and carers. Videoconsultations are conducted via telehealth at our dedicated virtual clinic. We are experiencing high demand for appointments hence require that all patients provide a referral prior to booking an appointment so that we can identify and manage urgent and emergency conditions in a timely manner, and so that our surgeons can assess your suitability for a telehealth appointment and identify any further information or tests that might be required before your consultation. If our surgeons assess that your condition (especially recent injuries) is best managed with hand therapy rather than surgery we may recommend that you see a qualified hand therapist (physiotherapist or occupational therapist) rather than schedule an appointment with our surgeons. Dr Tomlinson will cease to offer consultations and surgical services where a Medicare Rebatable Item Code does not apply from 1 July 2023. This includes injections for palmar hyperhidrosis. If you are eligible to get vaccinated and/or boosted, please do. so.

Accessing an emergency or early appointment at Melbourne Hand Surgery

At Melbourne Hand Surgery we have a number of “emergency” appointment slots available each week, and sometimes earlier appointments become available if a person contacts us to move or cancel their scheduled appointment.

When we look to fill these emergency or short notice appointment slots we refer to the list of individuals who have requested that they be placed on our cancellation list.

We prioritise individuals who have emergency conditions. The assessment of what is an emergency condition is based on the information that you provide to our office, and is largely based on Dr Tomlinson’s assessment of the referring doctor’s referral letter and any other information (such as x-rays or other imaging, and registration forms) that you provide us with. If you let us know your availability to attend a short notice appointment this is also of benefit. We appreciate that some individuals can attend our office with an hour’s notice, some individuals need a couple of days’ notice, and some individuals can only attend on certain days or at certain times of the day. If we are advised of this information we place it in your file.

If you have requested that you be placed on our cancellation list we request that you
- provide you doctor’s referral to our office, if your doctor has not sent it to us.
- provide us with copies of reports of any relevant imaging, scans or studies that you have had done. This is particularly important if you have a fracture or injury.
- provide us with your completed Patient Registration Form.
- advise us of any restrictions on your availability to attend a short notice appointment (e.g. "I am available all days with 90 minutes notice", or “I need 2 days’ notice”, or “I can only attend on Mondays and Thursdays”).

This information aids us in prioritising you on the cancellation list, allows us to contact you for available appointments that you can attend, and may also assist us in providing you with additional pre-consultation advice and care (see also: “How to make the most of your appointment”).

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