A message from our resident General Physician Dr Helen Van Gessel A message from our resident General PhysicianDr Helen Van GesselThank you to everyone who has referred patients to see me at the Great Southern Specialist Centre since we opened a few months ago. It has been exciting to be a small part of the expansion of private specialist services in the region and see the increasing benefits to our communication as well as the Albany Day Hospital going up so quickly. I am starting to put commonly used patient resources on the GSSC website if you, or your patients, are interested; starting with links to Gastroenterology Society of Australia information on a range of liver and gastro conditions, and instructions regarding S Aureus decolonisation – www.gsspecialistcentre.com/patients/information-brochures I am happy to see a range of general medicine patients as well as infectious diseases at both locations. If I don’t think I can meet the specific needs of the patient, I will let both you and your patient know and recommend next steps. I continue to work primarily in the public sector, providing outpatient (including hospital in the home) and inpatient services at Albany Hospital. In addition I run a regular public outpatient clinic in Katanning. Patients seen at a public clinic do not have any out-of-pocket expenses but wait times for appointments can be lengthy and they may see a registrar. If referred privately to me at GSSC patients can be seen within a week, however they are required to pay a private consult fee which a substantial portion is medicare rebateable. Patients are informed of fees when an appointment is made. For your reference I consult from GSSC on Wednesday mornings only at this stage. Can I please remind referrers and practice staff to consider where patients prefer to be seen ie private or public, and address referrals and copies of relevant investigations to that site wherever possible to avoid delays or duplication of referrals across both sectors. Kind regards Dr Helen Van Gessel FRACP GENERAL PHYSICIAN
If you require further information from the Great Southern Specialist Centre phone (08) 9841 3500, email admin@gsspecialistcentre.com or visit our website at www.gsspecialistcentre.com
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