Information for Patients

1. Child Attendance Requirement

   • As per Medicare regulations, the child must be present during the consultation.

2. Referral and Medicare Rebates

   • A valid doctor’s referral is required to claim a Medicare rebate.

   • Referrals are valid for 12 months, after which a new referral must be obtained from your local doctor.

3. Appointment Details

   • Appointments are triaged based on urgency.

   • Initial Appointment: Lasts approximately 45–60 minutes.

   • Review Appointments: Typically last 30–45 minutes, depending on complexity.

   • Babies under 12 months of age will be prioritised and are often placed on a cancellation list in addition to being booked for the next available appointment.

   • Patients on the cancellation list may be offered appointments at short notice (1–2 days).

4. Cancellation Policy

   • If you no longer need an appointment, please notify us so that the slot can be offered to another family.

   • A non-refundable $100 booking fee is required for new appointments. This will be deducted from the cost of your first consultation.

5. Medical Reports

   • A copy of your child’s medical report will typically be emailed to the address you provided.

   • If you do not wish to receive an emailed copy, please let us know.

6. AI Transcription Software

   • Dr. Ania uses Lyrebird Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) software during consultations to assist in real-time transcription and recording of discussions.

   • If you prefer not to have this software used, please inform us in advance.

7. Paediatricians in Victoria are required by law (under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005) to report to Child Protection (part of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing – DFFH) if they form a reasonable belief that a child:

   • has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm from physical injury or sexual abuse, and

   • their parents/carers are unable or unwilling to protect them.

   This is called mandatory reporting. It applies to all doctors and certain other professionals. The goal is to keep children safe and help families get support when needed.

   Most consultations are completely private and confidential. Reporting only happens in rare cases where there is serious concern for a child's safety.

8. Preparation for Your Appointment

   • To ensure a smooth consultation, please complete the attached registration form before your appointment.

We are committed to providing the highest level of care for your child and appreciate your cooperation.

Please understand that Dr Ania is not able to provide any medical advice over email (unless specifically pre arranged on case by case basis).

About Skin Prick Tests

Skin prick tests are a helpful tool for diagnosing and monitoring immediate food allergies. However, not all food reactions require this type of testing.

What to Expect

• Skin prick tests are quick, taking approximately 5 minutes to perform, with results available within 15 minutes.

• They feel similar to mosquito bites and itch just as much.

• To prevent scratching, the test is usually performed on a child’s back.

Common Allergens Tested

Most food allergies are caused by a limited range of foods for which commercial extracts are available. These include:

• Milk

• Soy

• Peanuts

• Tree nuts

• Sesame

Testing for Less Common Allergens

If there are concerns about less common allergens, such as fruits, meats, fish, or shellfish, please bring a small portion of the suspected food to your child’s appointment for testing.

Preparation for the Test

1. Avoid Moisturisers:

   • Do not apply moisturisers to your child’s back on the day of the appointment, as this is where the test will be performed. You may use creams on other parts of the body if needed.

2. Avoid Antihistamines:

   • Do not give your child antihistamines for at least 4 days prior to the appointment, as they interfere with test results. This includes:

     • Zyrtec

     • Claratyne

     • Aerius

     • Phenergan

     • Polaramine

     • Vallergan

     • Demazin

     • Dimetapp

3. Continue Other Medications:

   • All other medications, such as asthma medications and nasal sprays, can be continued as usual.

When Skin Prick Tests Cannot Be Performed

Skin prick testing will not be performed if your child:

• Has taken oral antihistamines within the last 4 days.

• Has a febrile illness.

• Has acute asthma requiring Ventolin within 48 hours of the appointment.

• Had an anaphylactic reaction within the past 6–8 weeks.

Rescheduling

If your child is:

• Unwell with a febrile illness.

• Experiencing acute asthma.

• Has taken oral antihistamines within 4 days of the appointment.

Please contact us to reschedule.

By following these guidelines, we can ensure the most accurate and reliable results for your child’s testing.

Fees and Payment

• Individual paediatrician fees will be provided via email when booking an appointment.

• Payment is required on the day of the consultation.

• Future appointments and medical reports will not be issued until the account is paid in full.

Payment Options:

• Credit card and EFTPOS facilities are available.

• There are no transaction fees for EFTPOS, cheque, or savings transactions.

• Credit card surcharge fees apply:

  • 1.1% for Visa and Mastercard

  • 1.65% for American Express

Medicare and Referrals

• A referral from a general practitioner (GP) is required to claim a Medicare rebate for specialist consultations.

• GP referrals are typically valid for 12 months.

• Patients without a valid GP referral may not be eligible to claim the Medicare rebate.

Billing Policies

• Bulk billing and fee reductions are not available.

• If cost is a concern, you may ask your GP for a referral to a public hospital or publicly funded clinic as an alternative free service.

Fee Adjustments

• Fees are reviewed annually to account for inflation.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Cancellation Policy

• Appointment Reminders: You will receive a courtesy SMS reminder for your upcoming appointment 7 days in advance.

• Waitlist Management: If you cannot attend your appointment, please notify us as soon as possible so we can offer the slot to another child on the cancellation list.

• Rescheduling Responsibility: It is the family’s responsibility to contact us to reschedule the appointment.

• Cancellation Fee: A $100 fee will apply if an appointment is not cancelled at least 48 hours in advance.

• Non-Response Policy: If we do not receive confirmation or cancellation within 48 hours of your appointment, the appointment will be cancelled and allocated to another patient.

• Non-Refundable Booking Fee: The booking fee for first-time appointments is non-refundable.

Your understanding and cooperation in helping us manage appointments efficiently are greatly appreciated.

• Medical Reports: After your appointment, a copy of the medical report will typically be emailed to the address you provided. If you do not wish to receive the report via email, please inform us.

• Requests Without an Appointment: Dr Ania will determine if scripts, allergy plans, additional forms, letters, or reports can be provided without requiring an in-clinic appointment.

• Fees:

  • A $20 fee applies to all scripts and allergy plans requested outside of appointments.

  • A $50 fee applies to all reports, letters, or forms requested outside of appointments.

Thank you for your understanding regarding these administrative policies.

Dr Ania is committed to providing the best care for your child. Dr Ania believes that collaboration and communication between both parents is crucial for the child’s overall well-being, including their health, education, social life, and an agreed-upon parenting framework. This form outlines responsibilities and commitments to ensure effective management of your child’s care, minimise conflict, and respect the rights of both parents.

Communication & Responsibilities

• We will communicate directly with the parent who books the appointment.

• It is the responsibility of the parent making the appointment to inform the other parent of the appointment details and ensure their availability before booking. This is especially important as our reminder service sends SMS reminders only to the parent who arranges the appointment.

By bringing your child to the appointment, we will assume, in good faith, that both parents consent to the assessment and any agreed-upon treatment for your child’s care.

Financial Responsibility

• Bills must be paid at the time of the appointment. Any financial arrangements or issues related to Medicare or health fund claims should be discussed and negotiated between both parents. The parent who books the appointment is responsible for payment.

Child Protection

• If there is any risk of harm to the child or a disclosure that requires a report to the Department of Family and Community Services, Dr Ania will take the necessary action as required by law.

Required Documents

Before the appointment, we will need:

1. Copies of any court or parenting orders regarding medical decision-making for the child.

2. Questionnaires and forms to be completed by each parent (unless one parent has sole custody for medical decision-making). This ensures we have a full understanding of your child’s behaviour and needs.

We appreciate your cooperation in these matters to ensure the best care for your child.

Dr Ania Hargrove – Privacy Policy and Fees Information

1. Introduction

Dr Ania Hargrove (“I”, “me”, “my”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of children and their families. This Privacy Policy explains how personal and health information is collected, used, stored and disclosed, and how parents or legal guardians may access and correct that information.

This policy applies to all personal and health information collected by Dr Ania Hargrove in the provision of paediatric medical services and is available free of charge.

2. Whose Information Is Collected

Information collected includes:

• Personal and health information about children

• Contact and billing information about parents or legal guardians

Parents or legal guardians usually provide consent on behalf of their child, unless the child is assessed as having sufficient maturity to make their own decisions, in accordance with Australian law and medical guidelines.

3. What Information Is Collected

Information necessary to provide safe and effective care, including:

• Names, dates of birth and contact details

• Parent/guardian details and relationship to the child

• Medical history, diagnoses, medications and allergies

• Medicare, private health insurance and referral details

• Consultation notes, correspondence and medical reports

Information is usually collected directly from parents or guardians, and may also be obtained from referring doctors, hospitals or other health providers with appropriate consent.

4. How Information Is Used

Personal and health information is used to:

• Assess, diagnose, treat and manage a child’s health

• Communicate with parents or guardians about care and results

• Coordinate care with other healthcare professionals

• Manage practice administration, billing and Medicare compliance

Information is not used for unrelated purposes without consent, unless required by law.

5. Disclosure of Information

Information may be disclosed to:

• Referring GPs and other treating health professionals

• Hospitals, pathology and imaging providers

• Medicare, insurers and regulatory bodies

• Approved service providers supporting practice operations

All disclosures occur in accordance with privacy law and professional obligations.

6. AI-Assisted Transcription

Secure, Australian-based AI clinical transcription services (e.g. Lyrebird) may be used during consultations to assist with accurate record-keeping:

• Data remains stored in Australia

• Information is not used for training or secondary purposes

• Parents or guardians may opt out at any time

7. Overseas Disclosure

Personal or health information is not routinely disclosed overseas. If overseas disclosure becomes necessary, appropriate privacy safeguards will be applied and consent sought where required.

8. Data Security, Storage and Retention

Medical records are stored in a secure Australian cloud-based clinical system (Xestro), using encryption and restricted access controls.

Practice email uses the domain @vpaed.com. Email correspondence is handled by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in accordance with AWS privacy and security policies, with services hosted via the European Union (Ireland) region.

Only authorised staff involved in patient care may access records. Information is retained as required by law and then securely deleted or de-identified.

9. Consent and Choice

You are not required to provide all requested information; however, this may limit the ability to provide care.

By registering with the practice, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of information as described in this policy, subject to any limitations you notify.

10. Reports

A consultation report will be sent to the referring GP as required. As a courtesy, a copy will also be emailed to the parent or guardian unless you advise otherwise.

11. Fees

Consultation fees are above the Medicare schedule fee and an out-of-pocket cost applies. Payment is required at the time of consultation. A valid referral is required to claim a Medicare rebate.

12. Privacy Concerns

Privacy concerns may be directed to privacy@vpaed.com. A response will be provided within 14 working days.

If unresolved, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): Phone: 1300 363 992 | Website: www.oaic.gov.au

13. Updates

This policy may be updated from time to time. The current version is available on request.