Appointments
To make an appointment, please contact the practice on 07 4922 3300 during business hours. Alternatively, you can book online at any time. Instructions for online bookings are further below.
Please note that a standard appointment allows for up to 10 minutes with your doctor. You can help us to ensure that the correct amount of time is allocated for your consultation and helping our doctors run on time by letting us know the following:
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If it is an emergency in need of immediate attention
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If it is urgent and needs attention on the same day
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If it is a routine visit such as a check-up/repeat of medication/review of results/vaccination /PAP smear/ Care Plan/wound dressing/Medication review/specialist referral;
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If it is for more than one person (each patient is treated as an individual and will require a separate consultation);
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If it is for -
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an Insurance Medical;
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a Commercial Driver's License Medical;
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a Standard Driver's License Medical; or
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a surgical procedure.
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If you require extra time, please request an extended appointment when making your booking. We advise that you phone ahead for any delays in appointment times.
Surgical procedures, Health Assessments and any paperwork will require longer than normal consultations.
Walk Ins
We do our best to accommodate walk-in patients (for standard consultations) and emergencies if we have the capacity to provide the required medical attention. Our reception and nursing staff are trained to triage patients according to level of urgency so at times you may be instructed to go straight to the Rockhampton Base Hospital.
Your First Visit
If you are a new patient to our practice, please be aware that our Reception staff wil ask you to complete a New Patient Registration Form. Allow at least 8 - 10 minutes to complete your form. You will be asked to provide the following:
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Name, gender, date of birth, next of kin, emergency contact, address;
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Medicare Card, Health Care Card, Pensioner Card, Veteran's Affair Card;
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Private Health Care Fund details (if applicable)
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Signature (for your patient record and fraud prevention)
If you'd like to complete your New Patient Registration Form in advance, you can submit your details through our online form through on Hotdoc Alma Street Medical - Book Doctors Online with HotDoc. This form is securely submitted to our Reception Team for processing.
We look forward to welcoming you to our practice!
Waiting Times
Waiting times will vary for many different reasons. Here are some of the factors to consider:
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Some patients come with multiple issues but only had a standard consultation booked in;
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Some patients' health conditions change dramatically and convert to emergency medical attention;
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Sometimes doctor discovers an area of concern during consultation that cannot be ignored;
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Sometimes doctors fall ill too and we have to reschedule appointments or fit patients in where possible with our other doctors.
To reduce waiting times as much as possible, our nurses will be triaging patients upon arrival. Triaging involves basic observations such as height, weight, blood pressure, pulse, etc. If you have a chronic illness, the nurse may conduct additional observations to ensure doctor has all the vital information during your consultation.
Having this system in place means:
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Better patient flow;
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Reduce your overall waiting time;
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Reduce your overall consultation time; and
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Help our doctors run on time.
Home Visits
Doctors and other practice staff make visits to regular patients of our practice where it is safe and reasonable. These visits may be to patients in their homes, residential aged care facility, residential care facility, or hospital both within and outside normal opening hours where such visits are deemed safe, and where the patients are acutely ill, immobile, and elderly or have no means of transport to the practice.
All patients are made aware that home visits or a suitable care alternative, are available both within and outside normal opening hours.
Regular patients who meet the eligibility criteria are offered home visits.
For regular patients, whose circumstances are deemed not safe and reasonable, e.g. the patient is located too far away for a home or other visit, the practice ensures that there is an alternate system of care that these patients can access.
There are arrangements to exchange clinical details about patient care for doctors who perform home and other visits on behalf of the patient’s regular doctor and the care provided is documented in the patient’s medical records.
Home and other visits are provided by appropriately qualified health professionals who have received information and advice about safety and security when conducting home visits.
Any anticipated costs associated with home visits or alternative care systems are discussed with the patient.