Frequently Asked Questions
You need a referral from you GP or specialist prior to your appointment. Once you have a referral, contact the rooms either through the online enquiry form or by calling directly. Please see the Contacts area of the website for details. The private rooms are based in Ortho Specialist Centre at Holmesglen Private Hospital in Moorabbin. There is parking on site.
Please bring your referral from your GP or specialist and also any imaging (x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans) you have previously had done. These can be hard copies or on CD.
Dr. Johnson will take a history relating to your condition or injury and perform an examination. He may request further imaging which can usually be done on site. This allows an immediate service in most cases without need for a further visit to review the radiology.
Dr. Johnson will recommend a management plan based on the history, examination and results of radiology as required.
Dr. Johnson will try to see you in the consulting rooms as soon as he can. If the reason for the consultation is fracture or injury he will prioritise your case in order to see you as soon as possible. He is on the on call roster for Holmesglen Private Hospital so will see patients through the Emergency Department there if he is on duty when you present.
Consultation fee is payable on the day of consultation. There are set rates for initial and follow up appointments that are standardised at Ortho Specialist Clinic. These can be obtained by contacting the rooms. You will receive a rebate from Medicare that will cover some of the costs.
You will be provided with an estimate of surgical fees prior to your surgery date. There will be a small gap fee associated with your surgery. You will need to confirm with your health insurer that you are covered for the estimate of fees as any outstanding cost not covered by the insurer will be your responsibility.
The estimate of fees does not cover costs associated with anaesthetics, surgical assistant, radiology, pharmacy, pathology, orthotics and physiotherapy. These services may incur an additional cost beyond the consultation and surgical fees.
When booking your case, Dr. Johnson will determine the urgency of the case and place you on the waiting list as appropriate. If the case is non urgent, Dr. Johnson will do his best to do the surgery at a time that is convenient for you and your child.
This is dependant on the procedure that has been performed. Some surgeries take longer than others. The stay will be dependant on the time period that you or your child need to be observed before it is safe to send you home.
Some cases can be performed as day cases meaning you can go home the same day. Others require you to stay overnight in hospital so that you can be monitored after the surgery and to make sure you are comfortable and safe to be discharged before you go home.
All follow up appointments following surgery and following review in the consulting rooms will be organised by the staff at the hospital.
Dr. Johnson will still see you in the private consulting rooms. You will receive the rebate from Medicare that will cover some of the costs of the consultation fee in the same way that you would if you had private health insurance. The rest of the fee you will have to cover yourself. Should you require surgery, you will have to cover the costs of the surgery yourself should you choose to have it done privately.
Dr. Johnson works at Monash Children’s Hospital and Joan Kirner Women and Children’s Hospital and sees patients in the public system at both sites. The wait time for review through this pathway will be longer and you may have to wait longer for your surgery should you need it.