Patient information

Who can refer me to your clinic?

Your medical practitioner or another specialist can refer you to our clinic. Referrals from a specialist are valid for three months, while referrals from a general practitioner (GP) are valid for 12 months.

How can I contact you?

To make an appointment with our clinicians, or to discuss your kidney health, contact us on +61 (2) 9812 2900. See additional contact information here.

What happens after I book my appointment?

MQ Health Kidney and Hypertension Clinic will call to confirm your appointment and remind you of any necessary reports that will be required for the day.

How long should I allow for my first appointment?

We recommend you allow half an hour. During your first visit to our clinic you will discuss your medical history and condition with your specialist in detail.

Is there parking available?

Yes there is. Directions and parking information can be found here.

We suggest you bring the following items to all appointments:

• Referral – a valid referral from your GP or a specialist.
• Cards – Medicare, health fund, pension and Veterans' Affairs cards.
• Medications – a list of all your current medications, vitamins and supplements.
• Results – including of any blood tests, urine tests or scans you’ve had already from the past 6–12 months.
• Discharge summaries or procedure reports if necessary

Arriving at the clinic

Our reception team will need to take a few details from you. We therefore ask that you arrive 10 minutes before your appointment, to fill out a new-patient form.

Your initial consultation

Prior to your first appointment you will need to have blood and urine testing, referred by your GP. Please bring these results with you.

You will then see your nephrologist (this is a doctor with advanced specialist training in kidney health) who will analyse your test results, perform additional tests and determine the next steps for your treatment.

Your nephrologist will talk to you about your condition, when and if you need to come back, and your ongoing treatment plan.

Many of the tests are available here within the MQ Health clinic building, while hospital tests can be conveniently arranged next door at Macquarie University Hospital.

Questions to ask your clinician

• Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure?
• What are the risks?
• Are there simpler, safer options?
• What happens if I don't do anything?
• What are the costs?

Next steps

Before you leave, our reception staff will create an account for your consultation and any testing performed. Upon payment, we can electronically lodge your account claim with Medicare.

You can also make any follow-up appointments at reception before you leave.

How much will my appointment cost?

Concessions are available for pensioners.

Many common blood and urine tests are fully covered by Medicare. However if you need other tests, you may need to pay additional fees for those tests.

Will I get money back from Medicare?

Medicare offers rebates for your appointment fees and diagnostic tests. In most cases, however, there will be a gap between the amount that Medicare gives back and our fees.

We can lodge your rebate with Medicare on your behalf when you pay for your appointment. Medicare will then either credit your nominated bank account or send you a cheque in the mail.

If you have had many medical procedures and consults within the year, you may be eligible for the Medicare Safety Net, which means you will only incur 20 per cent of the out-of-pocket costs. For more information, visit the Medicare website.

Will I get money back from my private health insurance?

Most private policies only cover you when you are admitted to hospital and don’t cover specialist consultations.

For more information, speak to your health fund directly about what’s covered in your policy.

When do I pay for my appointment?

MQ Health Kidney and Hypertension Clinic is not a bulk billing practice, so you will need to pay at the time of your consultation.

Don’t forget to bring your pensioner, health care or DVA cards to ensure we bill you at the correct rate.

What if I am a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) patient?

If you are a DVA patient with a gold card, we can lodge your account directly to DVA with no out-of-pocket expense for you. Remember to bring your gold card to each appointment.

Our nephrologists provide thorough pre- and post-transplant care. We have an excellent referral network and are able to refer patients to leading transplant units at RPA and Westmead hospitals. Our nephrologists also provide ongoing management for dialysis patients and can help you find the most convenient and comfortable dialysis option for you.

We will see urgent cases as soon as we can, usually within a few days. Please call our reception team on +61 (2) 9812 3567. If it is an emergency dial 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.

We welcome positive and constructive feedback in order to continuously improve our service. You can leave a message in the feedback box in the reception area, complete our survey or email us at feedback@mqhealth.org.au

If you feel your experience with us has been unsatisfactory, please discuss any complaints with us in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact either the Health Care Complaints Commissioner on 1800 043 159 or the NSW Ombudsman on 1800 451 524 to discuss your complaint.