Patient Information
Russell Island
Opening Hours
Bay Island Medical Services surgeries opening hours are as below:
BIMS Macleay Island Clinic
Mon to Fri: 8:30am to 4.30pm
BIMS Russell Island Clinic
Mon to Fri: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 3:00pm by appointment
Billing policy
We are a bulk billing practice.
Please note : We do not bulk bill in certain situations.
eg :
- Health assessment for renewal of commercial driving licence.
- Those who do not have a valid medicare card
- Work related injuries
- Pre employment health assessment
- Iron Infusion
Please discuss the cost for your consultation with our staff prior to your appointment.
Cancellation
If you can no longer attend the appointment please cancel or reschedule through your confirmation email or Health Engine app or ring us at your earliest convenience. Please note a fee may apply if you repeatedly cancel or don’t turn up for appointments .
New Patients
If you are a new patient, please arrive 10 minutes before your appointment time to compete new patient form. Please bring your medicare card and any concession or health care cards. Most of our doctors prefer 30 minute window of appointment time for a new patient’s first visit.
Abusive behavior
We make sure that our patients recieve due respect and care irrespective of their age, origin, colour , race, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. We expect the same from our customers. We are a zero tolerance practice. Any kind of abuse , bulling or intimidation will not be tolerated and dealt through the relevant authorities.
Medical Certificates and Referrals
All certificates (Sickness or Workers Compensation) require an appointment with your doctor. These are legal documents and cannot be backdated. Requests for a certificate will not be accepted over the telephone. A referral from your GP is required before booking an appointment with a medical specialist. Your GP will assess your condition prior to recommending specialist care. Referrals are valid for one year therefore you are required to book an appointment with your GP if the previous referral is more than 12 months old. Your GP continues to work with the specialist to provide you with quality ongoing care.
Patient Feedback
Our goal is to provide you with a quality, caring service. Therefore, should you have any concerns or suggestions, please phone or write to our Practice Manager, Thamara, at practicemanager@bayislandsmedical.com.au.
Please see link below for our Feedback Procedures.
Telehealth Appointments
Our practice offers telehealth appointments; however, each GP has their own policy regarding telehealth bookings. Please check with reception to confirm whether you can book a telehealth appointment with your regular GP.
In certain circumstances, such as during a pandemic, the entire practice may switch to telehealth-only consultations.
Home visits doctors
Bay Island Medical Services offers home visits doctors to very ill patients or those with a disability. This service is only available to patients of this practice whose condition prevents them from attending the surgery. Appointments can be arranged directly with your doctor.
Telephone Calls
Please note that doctors are not always available to receive and return phone calls. It is always preferable to make an appointment to speak to your doctor.
In an emergency, please call 000.
Reminder/ Recall System
Our Practice is committed to preventive care. Your doctor will seek your permission to be included in our reminder system. We may issue you a reminder notice from time to time offering you preventive health services appropriate to your care. You may decline this service if you wish by informing your doctor, nurse or receptionist.
Appointment System and Waiting Times
Bay Island Medical Service runs by an appointment system, however, we do keep appointments available for emergencies. Appointments can be made by phoning the surgeries or online with the Health Engine app. A standard appointment is 15 minutes and the receptionist will check with the doctor as it is usually the doctor that requests longer appointments. Nobody likes to be kept waiting; however, due to emergencies and unforeseen circumstances, you may experience a waiting period. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused to our patients when we are behind with our appointments. Please feel free to phone our surgery to check if your doctor is experiencing any unforeseen delays.
Please book an appointment to see your doctor unless it is an emergency. Walk-ins can only be accommodated if there are available slots with the doctor on the day.
Management of your Personal Information
Your medical information is a confidential document. This practice often forwards certain medical information to other medical organisations i.e. Immunisation Register. This is normal practice and is only for the benefit of patient health. All information at our practice is handled according to the present Privacy Act (Australian Privacy Principles – APP). Should you require further details, please speak to the practice manager or refer to our privacy policy.
Repeat Prescriptions
In order to monitor your health and fulfill our ethical and legal responsibilities, is it a REQUIREMENT that you attend the surgery for repeat prescriptions. The quality and safety of patient care is important to us and we recommend patients make an appointment for prescriptions. Our doctors and nurses will use this opportunity to discuss preventive medicine, screening and counselling etc. Repeat prescriptions without doctor/patient contact may be provided at the doctor’s discretion. This service is only available for patients of Bay Island Medical Service and where the original script was provided by one of our doctors. The patient must have been seen by one of our doctors within the last 3 – 6 months. We require 24 hours notice for all prescription requests.
Receiving Results
Most blood test results and imaging reports are available 72 hours after they are performed. Some results require more time and generally your doctor will advise you if a longer wait applies for your results. We recommend that all patients make a follow up appointment to discuss their results. Urgent or abnormal test results will be brought to your attention by a doctor or one of our staff. Our receptionist is not able to give out results unless it has been directed by your doctor. It is important you attend your follow up visit with your doctor to ensure you understand your results and any subsequent treatment required.
Contact Us
If you would like further information, give your feedback or if you would like to work with us, please send a message and we will be in touch with you soon.
We offer person centredness, comperehensive, continuity of care to our whole family of patients with professional, clinical and ethical standards.
