This document summarises our terms and conditions. Please contact us by phone or by email if you have any questions.
Telepsychiatry provides psychiatric services using interactive video conferencing tools, such as Zoom, in which the psychiatrist and the patient are not at the same location. Telepsychiatry will allow the patient to receive medical care without the need to visit an office and travel long distance.
Your medical notes from this telepsychiatry session will be documented and stored securely by Dr Elzahaby.
Zoom
Dr Elzahaby will be using Skype for all Telepsychiatry appointments. You will need:
- To download the free zoom app on your device.
- A camera and microphone connected to your device and in working condition.
- We will send you the date and time before the appointment together with the link for your zoom telehealth consult.
- Any late attendances to a Telepsychiatry appointment may result in the appointment being cancelled.
Support and Resourcing
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) encourages best practice in Telepsychiatry and to this end, has developed a Telepsychiatry Position Statement. To obtain a copy of this document and/ or further information, assistance and support, practitioners are able to contact the College by email cpd@ranzcp.org or by visiting www.ranzcp.org.
Duration of Telepsychiatry Consultation
These are time based with most 1st appointments lasting for 1 hour and review appointments lasting 45 minutes.
Number of Consultations in a Calendar Year
In general up to 50 appointments will be covered by Medicare, any further attendances for that patient in that calendar year would be covered by alternate Medicare item numbers.
Initial Consultation
For a patient to book an initial consultation, a GP or medical specialist referral is needed. We require this referral at least 1 week before your initial appointment and this can be downloaded on your patient portal.
Fees
As private practitioners, we charge fees for our services. Our practice does not receive funding from any source other than our patients. The government does not provide any form of financial support for private practices, hence the fees you pay are set at a level that reflects our time and experience and the cost of running a practice.
Billing is time-based so longer appointments attract higher fees. We regret that we do not provide bulk billing services so you will have an out of pocket cost. Our fees and the estimated gap payment are listed on our website and may be changed without notice. If you hit the Medicare extended safety-net during the year, the gap fees decrease substantially. It is helpful to check with Medicare that your family unit is registered for the safety-net. Individuals are registered automatically.
Please note that fees are payable PRIOR to your scheduled appointment by bank transfer or credit card. We do not accept cash, cheque, or EFTPOS. Non-attendance at appointments prevents other people from receiving much-needed care.
Cancellation policy
- Please be aware that there is a fee for an appointment cancelled with less than 48 hours notice given unless there are extenuating circumstances.
- The full fee (without rebate from Medicare ) will be charged for an appointment cancelled with less than 48 hours notice or a non attended appointment.
- Exceptions are made for illness and extreme circumstances.
- Please contact us on 0456088871 prior to this 48 hour window to cancel without charge.
- If we cannot get in touch with you after an appointment’s non-attendance and you do not pay for the appointment, we regret that we may need to cancel your future bookings to ensure our time is used most effectively, and so that others who are in need can be seen more promptly.
- If someone else is paying for your appointments, we believe it is fair that we are able to inform them about the non-attendance so that they are able to exercise best judgment as to whether they are happy to continue providing funding for services that are not being used effectively. If this does not suit you, please ensure that you are the one who makes the payment.
Your Rights
1) I understand that the laws that protect the privacy and confidentiality of medical information also apply to Telepsychiatry;
2) I understand that Zoom is known to incorporate network and software security protocols to protect the confidentiality of information and audio/visual data. These protocols include measures to safeguard the data and to aid in protecting against intentional or unintentional corruption. You can review the security features of Zoom at https://zoom.us/trust/security.
3) I have the right to withdraw my consent to the use of Telepsychiatry during the course of my care at any time knowing that this may mean termination of care as the clinic operates by Telepsychiatry only.
4) I understand that all rules and regulations which apply to the practice of medicine in Australia also apply to Telepsychiatry.
Your Responsibilities
1) I will not record any Telepsychiatry sessions without the prior written consent of Dr Elzahaby and I understand that Dr Elzahaby will not record Telepsychiatry sessions without my consent;
2) I will inform Dr Elzahaby if any other person can hear or see any part of our session before the session begins. Likewise, Dr Elzahaby will inform me if any other person can hear or see any part of the session before the session begins.
3) I understand that I MUST be a resident of Australia and hold a Medicare card to be eligible for Telepsychiatry services from Dr Elzahaby