Practice Policies
Cancellation Policy
We require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice for all cancellations.
Cancellations without notice or failure to attend appointments may result in a failed fee.
If you need to cancel your appointment you must call the clinic on (03) 9882 5584. If the clinic is closed then please leave a message on the answering machine. Do not reply to the SMS reminder or email message as these methods are unreliable. SMS or email cancellations will not constitute as proper notification and may result in failed a fee.
Late Arrivals
Our podiatrists like to see our patients on time and deliver quality service over a full consultation. We know our patient’s time outside medical appointments is precious and they greatly appreciate us for seeing them on time – it’s what makes Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics different from other medical clinics.
So if you are more than 15 minutes late to your appointment we may have to reschedule your appointment, so as not to inconvenience other patients.
Payment Policy
Full payment is requested at the time of consultation.
Payment can be made via cash, cheque, EFTPOS or Credit Card. We also have HICAPS on site, so please make sure you bring in your private health insurance card so we can instantly process your health insurance claim on the spot.
Failed Fee Policy
Patients who fail to attend their podiatry appointment are a constant frustration to our business. Not only does it cost our business money, it also wastes the podiatrist’s time and robs another patient the chance to be seen.
If you fail your podiatry appointment you will be awarded a strike. The following scenarios constitute a strike:
- failure to attend your appointment
- failure to give at least 24 hours notice of cancellation
- more than 15 minutes late to your appointment causing us to reschedule your appointment
Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics operate a two strike failed fee policy. One strike will constitute a warning. A second strike will result in a failed fee being sent out.
NB. Failure to attend appointments of more than 30 minutes duration may result in multiple strikes being awarded and a larger failed fee.
Any failed fee must be fully paid before any further appointments can proceed with our podiatrists. After payment of a failed fee it is important to understand that the strikes remain and do not reset. Therefore all future failures or strikes will result in a new failed fee being sent out.
We understand for some patients there may be external factors and emergency situations that are out of their control that may affect their attendance. Our podiatrists will always take this into consideration when making a final decision on strikes and the sending of any failed fee.
Failure to pay a failed fee or any account on time will result in you being blacklisted from making future appointments at Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics.
Sickness or Illness
We understand that there are times when you may be sick or unwell and unable to attend your podiatry appointment. If you are sick or unwell and cannot make your appointment you must notify us at the earliest convenience by calling the clinic on 9882 5584. If the clinic is closed you need to call and leave a message on our answering machine. Failure to give sufficient notification, even when sick or unwell, will still result in a strike being awarded.
Our podiatrists will always use their discretion when awarding strikes for sick or unwell patients. Unfortunately, too often we get sickness as an excuse for missing or forgetting an appointment, making it hard to tell if the patient is being genuine or not. So if you feel you have been awarded a strike for a genuine situation out of your control please call us to discuss your case.
Custom Orthotic Evaluations
A custom orthotic evaluation is a free no charge consultation (included in the cost of the custom orthotics) to evaluate your orthotics. This evaluation is usually scheduled within 14 days of new orthotics being issued. Failure to attend a no charge custom orthotic evaluation appointment will result in a warning strike in accordance with our failed fee policy.
Failure to attend a no charge orthotic evaluation appointment will also mean you forfeit your free orthotic evaluation. Your next appointment may be considered an orthotic review and this will be a charged consultation. Orthotic evaluations over 14 days since the orthotics were issued will also be considered a review and charged accordingly. Any applicable consultation charge for these appointments will be at the sole discretion of the podiatrist.
Nail Surgery Dressings
A nail surgery dressing is a free no charge consultation (included in the cost of nail surgery) to check the dressings and healing of your toe following nail surgery. These dressings are usually scheduled at 1 week and 3 weeks post nail surgery. Failure to attend a no charge nail surgery dressing appointment will result in a warning strike in accordance with our failed fee policy.
Failure to attend a no charge nail surgery dressing appointment may also mean you forfeit your free dressing consultation. Your next appointment may be considered a nail surgery review and this will be a charged consultation. Any applicable consultation charge for these appointments will be at the sole discretion of the podiatrist.
Communication Policy
Appointments
All appointments should be made, cancelled or rescheduled via telephone (03) 9882 5584 or via our website’s online booking system.
Email or SMS should not be used for this purpose as they cannot always guarantee delivery of your message.
Telephone Calls
Our podiatrists are available by telephone to answer patient enquiries. All calls will be answered first by the reception team and processed accordingly, so as not to inconvenience other patients during their consultation.
If your call is deemed an emergency or urgent you’ll either be put straight through to the podiatrist or they will call you back at their first opportunity. Less urgent enquiries can leave a message with the receptionist, which will then be forwarded onto the podiatrist. This will be responded to when the podiatrist has more time – often during lunch breaks and at the end of the day. We aim to respond to all telephone enquiries within 1 business day.
All calls from GP and health providers that relate to mutual patients will be put straight through to the podiatrist for an immediate response.
NB. If a patient’s telephone enquiry relates to treatment but not directly to a recent treatment, they may be advised to make an appointment with the podiatrist to best answer the treatment enquiry.
Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics has an email address (reception@mpao.com.au) that patients can use to send through simple communication. All emails received will be acknowledged in a reply by the reception team and then forwarded to the appropriate person. We aim to respond to all email enquiries within 1 business day of receipt. All relevant patient emails that relate to treatment will be stored in the patient’s record.
NB. If a patient’s email enquiry relates to treatment but not directly to a recent treatment, they may be advised to make an appointment with the podiatrist to best answer the treatment enquiry.
Communication between patients and the practice via email is discouraged due to the potential for miscommunication. Patients are always encouraged to make an appointment.
In some instances a podiatrist may choose to email a patient for the purpose of treatment with their consent, e.g. response to a query, referral letter, information handout etc. The patient may respond to this initial email to acknowledge receipt.
Patients must not use the podiatrist’s private email address to initiate new or other treatment enquiries as it is confidential. This behaviour is strictly forbidden and these emails will not be responded to. All email enquiries should be sent to reception@mpao.com.au for an appropriate response in line with this policy.
While we make every effort to keep your information secure we want to remind our patients that electronic communications can potentially be compromised and accessed by persons outside of our practice. Therefore patients communicating with Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics through email do so at their own risk.
The practice uses an email disclaimer notice on all outgoing emails that are affiliated with the practice:
“Private and Confidential – This email transmission is strictly confidential and intended solely for the person or organisation to which it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it. If you have received this email in error, please delete it then notify us on 03 9882 5584 or reception@mpao.com.au as soon as possible.”
SMS
Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics will use SMS communication:
• to send appointment reminders
• to send appointment recalls
• to communicate important clinic information
• to communicate special treatment offers that directly relates to the patients treatment
All SMS communication between Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics and its patients complies with the Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988, and does not contain any sensitive or confidential patient information.
If a patient wishes to opt-out of any SMS communication, please speak to our reception staff.
Violent & Abusive Patients Policy
Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics operates a zero tolerance to violent and abusive patients. Any violent, aggressive or abusive patient will be refused treatment and requested to leave the practice immediately. They will then be permanently removed from the practice register.
Aggressive behaviour is considered to be any personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, cursing and/or swearing, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures. The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice who is aggressive or abusive towards a podiatrist, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property.
All instances of actual physical abuse on any podiatrist or staff member, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police.
Privacy Policy
This policy sets out how Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics (we) collect, hold and disclose personal information. We take privacy seriously and are committed to complying with the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
To read in full please visit our privacy policy page.
COVIDSafe Policy
Melbourne Podiatrists & Orthotics is open for all podiatry services with a COVIDSafe plan. Please read and be aware of our COVIDSafe policy as this may affect your appointment.