Allied Health
Allied health services (except for Chinese Medicine) at Summerhill Medical Centre can be covered under Medicare with no gap fees if you are eligible for GP Management Plan. Please speak to your GP or one of our staff for more information.
Diabetes Educator – Mary Kang and Albert Yeap
Albert and Mary are credentialed Diabetes Educators. They are health professionals who have completed further study to focus their efforts on helping people with diabetes self-manage their diabetes effectively and prevent complications.
A diabetes educator can be the first point of call when you are wanting more information, support and/or motivation in the management of your diabetes and the link between other health professionals. They have in-depth knowledge on all aspects of diabetes and can recognise when you need to see other members of your health care team for example, an optometrist or podiatrist.
“The main aim of our Credentialed Diabetes Educator is to empower the person that has diabetes to self-manage their diabetes through knowledge, motivation and support.”
Costs: No out of pocket with Chronic Care Plan EPC
Chinese Medicine – Dr Lin Dong
Dr Lin Dong holds a Master of Chinese Medicine, a university lecturer with over 20 years of clinical experience. She has special interests in women’s conditions such as infertility or period problems, skin conditions and pain management.
What is Chinese medicine?
Chinese medicine views the human body is an organic whole. Any disorder occurring in the body manifests on the surface of the body. Chinese medicine uses its unique diagnostic methods to identify dysfunctions of the organ(s) and treat it accordingly. In other words, it treats a cause of a condition not symptoms only. It has a lot to offer for different conditions.
Chinese medicine also believes that prevention is better than cure. It uses dietary therapy to prevent diseases from occurring.
Chinese medicine includes Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping. These modalities can been used individually for a specific condition or combined together for addressing some problems in the body.
Costs: Private Fee
Physiotherapist – Wilfred and Alisson
Wilfred is a physiotherapist and also a Master Tai Chi Trainer with the Chronic Disease Self Management Program from Stanford University, USA. As an experience physiotherapist and master trainer, he will offer individual treatment to further enhance your specific wellness. He can also converse in Mandarin/Chinese and is here every Thursday evening.
Costs: No out of pocket with Chronic Care Plan EPC
Podiatrist – Choice Health
The experienced professionals at Choice Health Podiatry are experts at assessing & diagnosing foot problems. They are proud to provide a high quality level of customer service, medical experience, and commitment to health and wellness to all our patients. Their goal is to make you feel better as quickly as possible.
Podiatrist: Choice Health Podiatry (Choice Health)
Availability: Weekly Thursdays
Costs: Chronic Care Plan EPC = Bulk Billed
Home Visit Pharmacist – Albert Yeap
Albert is a qualified pharmacist and is accredited to conduct home medication review. The goal of a Home Medication Review is to maximise an individual patient’s benefit from their medication regimen, and prevent medication-related problems through a team approach, involving the patient’s GP and preferred community pharmacy. It may also involve other relevant members of the health care team, such as nurses in community practice or carers.
The process utilises the specific knowledge and expertise of each of the health care professionals involved. In collaboration with the GP, Albert will comprehensively review your medication in a home visit. After discussion of the pharmacist’s report and findings, the GP and patient agree on a medication management plan. The patient is central to the development and implementation of this plan with their GP.
When should you have a home medication review:
- Currently taking five or more regular medications
- Taking more than 12 doses of medication per day
- Significant changes made to medication regimen in the last three months
- Medication with a narrow therapeutic index or requiring therapeutic monitoring
- Symptoms suggestive of an adverse drug reaction
- Sub-therapeutic response to treatment
- Suspected non-compliance or inability to manage drug related therapeutic devices
- Difficulty managing medication because of literacy or language difficulties, dexterity problems or impaired sight, confusion or other cognitive difficulties
- Attending a number of different doctors, both GPs and specialists
- Recently discharged from a facility / hospital (in the past four weeks).
Psychologist
Medical research continually reaffirms that there is a strong link between physical and mental health. A Psychologist aims to help their patients by helping them explore the reasons underpinning mental distress, fight depression and other mental illnesses and teach coping mechanisms.
Costs: Medicare supports Psychologist visits if you qualify for a mental health plan. MHPA Mental Health Plan can be provided by your doctor if your mental health issues qualify. This enables access to an initial 6 of a total of 10 sessions per calendar year. A Mental Health Plan reduces the out of pocket costs to approximately $20.
Psychologist: Patricia Khalili
Patricia has had years of clinical experience with helping adults, adolescents and children deal with their mental illnesses. She has significant experience in helping adolescents and adults who battle with substance addiction and co-existing mental health issues.
If you struggle with mood and anxiety disorders (ie depression, anxiety, biplar disorder), self-esteem, stress management, Patricia is here to discuss strategies to help and cope. Other areas she helps with are adolescent issues and other emotional and behavioral disturbances.
Patricia is passionate about helping her clients to build insight and gain skills to be able to manage and overcome their problems. She is focused on helping clients live their life in a way that brings meaning and purpose, despite the pain and difficulties they are facing.
Availability: Monday and Friday. Please contact us to make an appointment.
Costs: $20 out of pocket fee