What should I bring with me when I come for a scheduled office appointment?

Apart from medicare and your insurance information

• Referral letter from GP, family physician or other doctor
• Medicare card, DVA card, Pension Card
• Have your Private Hospital Insurance information with you
• Copies of results, x-rays, MRI's. CT scans etc and any other relevant information

Are my medical records kept private and confidential?

Your medical file is handled with the utmost respect for your privacy. Our staff are bound by strict confidentiality requirements as a condition of employment regarding your medical records. Ordinarily we will not release the contents of your medical file without your consent.

Do I need a referral to make an appointment?

Most medical specialists will accept only referred patients. This is partly to try to ensure that the specialist you are seeing is appropriate for you and your condition, and also because Medicare pays higher rebates for specialist services if you have been referred.

How can my family doctor help me to obtain specialist medical care?

Before seeing any medical specialist, it is always preferable to talk to your own family doctor, who can discuss your condition with you and advise on whether any specialist care is appropriate. If it is, he or she can help you to choose the specialist best suited to your needs. Your family doctor can help the specialist to care for you better by providing relevant information about your health. Communicating with the specialist will also enable your family doctor to care for you better during and after your specialist treatment.

What should I expect during first visit?

During your initial visit, Dr. Vass will take the time to explain your condition and any tests that may be required to determine your specific problem.  If you require a procedure, Dr, Vass will take the time to ensure that you have all your questions answered so that you will feel relaxed and as confident as possible. Dr. Vass can arrange second opinions and referrals to colleagues as needed.  He may do a physical examination and ask you a lot of questions. Usually this can be achieved in around fifteen minutes but occasionally this may be much quicker, if the problem is less complex. Patients do not have to pay more if the consultation is a complex one.  Dr. Vass does get referred complex cases from other urologists and this cannot always be picked up at the time of appointment, which could result in a short delay for waiting patients, however it is not common to have to wait more than 30 minutes after your appointment time.