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

Apart from your insurance information

• A referral from your General Practitioner or family doctor is helpful and may be required by your insurer
• All pertinent x-ray reports and test results from your primary care or referring physician
• A list of all medications that you are currently taking
• A list of any known drug allergies and the symptoms you may have from taking these medicines
• If you have had surgery elsewhere, please bring a copy of your operation report

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?

Although not required by Mr Patel, having a referral means that he is more informed about the reason you are coming to see him. It also means we know who to contact if we need more information about your health and current condition and any complications we should be aware of. Most insurance companies also require a referral to a specialist before they will agree reimbursement so it's especially important if you are insured.

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 and 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, Mr Patel will discuss your history with you and he may do a physical examination and ask you a bunch of questions. You may need to have further tests or procedures done which he'll discuss with you at the time and the likely options available following the results.