First Consultation

The first consultation will examine the nature and cause of your problem and what, if any, surgery is required. Initially, you may be asked to fill out a registration form. You may also be asked to complete a health questionnaire and possibly a standardized outcome questionnaire. A detailed history and examination will be undertaken and a typical consultation will take between 20 and 30 minutes.

You will be required to bring the referral letter from your GP or other doctor, and any relevant imaging studies you have had done previously, such as Xrays, CT, and MRI. A list of all current medications would also be beneficial. Dr Rae’s rooms are conveniently located next to Medical Imaging centres so that if any additional Xrays are required, they can usually be taken and reviewed in the same session.

Dr Hamish Rae will then explain the nature of the problem and the recommended treatment. Sometimes you may require further investigations such as MRI or blood tests, which Dr Rae will organize. Follow up will be required to review these and to monitor the outcomes of treatment initiated. When major surgery, such as joint replacement is recommended, a follow up appointment is routinely offered to further discuss the nature of the surgery recommended and answer any questions that you may have.

Following your first appointment, an initial consultation fee is payable on the day. Some of this you will be able to get back from Medicare.