PLEASE READ OUR UPDATED IMPORTANT INFORMATION, POLICIES, TERMS & CONDITIONS AT ONE HEALTH Centre
You will be asked to give your verbal consent on your first appointment to our clinic, so please read carefully
Welcome to ONE HEALTH Centre. The personal information that we collect enables us to assess your suitability for treatment and so aid in your recovery. Thorough medical information is vital for this purpose and therefore important in-depth information is obtained. The information will be used for that purpose only and will be kept securely. You have the right to access and amend the information given to us.
YOUR PRIVACY
In accordance with the Privacy Act 1988, all information relative to your case is held in total confidence.
Your consent in necessary for us to allow practitioners and staff in this clinic to have access to your information. Also, when appropriate, relevant information regarding specific information to your case (not your whole medical file held on record at ONE HEALTH) may be sent to other medical and healthcare professionals for proper and effective management of your condition. In accordance with the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 No 71, your medical records held at ONE HEALTH will not be released to any third party without your prior written consent.
Having been given the opportunity to read the below information regarding your treatment (either by email prior to your first appointment or when you arrive in clinic), you consent and agree to adhere to these policies and terms and conditions for the full course of your treatment, both initially and in the future. You will be given the opportunity throughout each consultation to give consent for each assessment and treatment processes and you always have the right to decline. Your initial consent will be confirmed verbally by yourself (or you guardian) in-clinic.
Please refer to our website for full details of our privacy policy, website disclaimer and terms & conditions
www.onehealthcentre.com.au
MARKETING & COMMUNICATION POLICY
ONE HEALTH Centre will only send our clients information regarding information to do with our clinic, this is infrequent. We utilise social media, should you choose to ‘follow us’.
You will be automatically put on our contact list to inform you of any clinic updates and take your consent in this document as your authorisation for us to do so. Should you wish not to receive any marketing from us, you can inform our reception when you register, and you always have the right to either re-instate or opt-out at any time.
We use SMS messaging and e-mails to confirm appointments and send invoices. This is an efficient system to keep you up-to-date on upcoming appointments, again, you have the option to opt-in/out of this as required.
APPOINTMENT CANCELLATION POLICY
Our clinic is very busy and often clients are on a waiting list for the earliest available appointments.
Experience has unfortunately shown that we need to define a clear cancellation policy and agreement with all our patients who attend ONE HEALTH Centre.
As such, 24 hours’ notice is required to re-schedule or cancel an appointment. This gives us the opportunity to reallocate your appointment to another patient.
It is your responsibility as our client to ensure you are aware of your next appointment time and although we will do everything possible to remind you of this appointment via text message (usually two days before), please do not rely on this alone, as this system is not infallible.
We do understand unforeseen circumstances occur and leniency is obviously considered but failure to give 24 hours’ notice or indeed simply not turning up at your allotted time will result in you being charged 50% of the applicable consultancy fee. However, if your appointment is successfully allocated to another patient, you will not be charged.
CONSULTATION FEES
ONE HEALTH remains transparent with our consultation fees which are freely available in-clinic or via our online booking service.
We reserve the right to change our prices at any time without notice but will endeavour to inform all of our patients prior to their next visit when a consultation fee change occurs.
POLICY FOR MEDICARE – ENHANCED PRIMARY CARE (EPC) CLAIMS – if applicable
Your GP may refer you to ONE HEALTH Centre under the Medicare EPC program. This is not a free service, however Medicare subsidises a larger portion of the fee. Your first consultation will be charged at the initial consultation fee*. We will then directly deposit (through HICAPS) Medicare’s contribution to the fee*. This initial consultation will leave you an out-of-pocket amount*.
For subsequent appointments, the above process will be conducted but with our standard consultation fee*, hence reducing your out-of-pocket expense to you.
*Please check at reception for current appointment costs and reimbursement rates.
TELE-HEALTH CONSULTATIONS PROVIDED BY ONE HEALTH Centre
Tele-Health is a platform which provides professional Osteopathy consultations via online video-conferencing to patients at home or work or in a remote location. The same privacy policies, and informed consent that we utilise in-clinic consultations, is required for this service. Due to the distant nature of Tele-Health consultations, pre-payment is required at the beginning of your arranged consultation.
Tele-Health is video-based or telephone-based only and recording by ONE HEALTH or the patient or anyone else is strictly forbidden. Recommendations have been outlined on our Tele-Health consultation page for medical history information, room layout and location, internet and equipment requirements and other items necessary for this type of consultation to appropriately take place and must be adhered to as best as possible.
It may be highlighted to our practitioner during the consultation, that a tele-health consultation is not appropriate for your specific issue. If so, your practitioner will advise at the time and either refer or make other recommendations at the time. Consultation fees still apply, as time has already been allocated for this consultation, and like in-clinic consultations, sometimes treatment is not recommended and referral or discharge must be made.
For further details on Tele-Health consultation see our page on this website.
IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION – Please read carefully & understand
Osteopathy, Physiotherapy and Remedial massage (Manual therapy) techniques competently applied, are generally held to be very safe. But all healthcare interventions carry a level of risk. Serious and permanent harm arising from these treatments are extremely rare, however, temporary soreness and exacerbations are relatively common.
Changes in law now require all practitioners who may manipulate the spine or other joints of the body, to inform clients of material risks. We are therefore required to fully inform you of these risks.
Cervical (neck) manipulation ‐ Manipulation of the joints in the neck is generally held to be very safe. There are no accurate figures available on Osteopathic or Physiotherapy manipulation incidences in Australia. The incidence is so rare that it is difficult to compile accurate statistics. Apparently similar techniques applied by chiropractors in various studies have been associated with stroke-like symptoms, statistics vary from 1:50,000 to 1:5 million manipulations. It is an assumption that the risks of Osteopathic or Physiotherapy manipulation carry the same risk. It is hoped that Osteopathic and Physiotherapy assessment and clinical reasoning may well reduce the level of risk further. The research also fails to distinguish between stroke like symptoms caused by manipulation from events in progress that cause the patient to seek Osteopathic or Physiotherapy healthcare in the first place. Whilst this has never occurred in this practice, we are still required to inform you. If any joint manipulations are proposed, it is our policy you will be tested thoroughly beforehand and no treatment will take place without your prior consent.
TRIGGER POINT DRY NEEDLING (TDN)
Trigger point dry needling (TDN) involves placing a small needle into the muscle at the trigger point in order to cause the muscle to contract and then release, improving the flexibility of the muscle and therefore decreasing the symptoms.
TDN is a valuable treatment for musculoskeletal pain. Like any treatment, there are possible complications. While these complications are rare in occurrence, they are real and must be considered prior to giving consent to treatment.
RISK OF PROCEDURE:
The most serious risk associated with TDN is accidental puncture of a lung(pneumothorax). If this were to occur, it may likely only require a chest x-ray and no further treatment. The symptoms of shortness of breath may last for several days to weeks. A more severe lung puncture can require hospitalisation and re-inflation of the lung. This is a rare complication and in skilled hands should not be a concern.
Other risks may include excessive bleeding (causing a bruise), infection and nerve injury. Bruising is a common occurrence and should not be a concern unless you are taking a blood thinner. As the needles are very small and do not have a cutting edge, the likelihood of any significant tissue trauma from TDN is unlikely.
In this clinic and in the scope of Osteopathy, Physiotherapy and Remedial massage, we perform a variety of techniques including but not limited to muscle stretching, ultrasound and electrotherapy, soft tissue massage, dry needling and joint mobilisation and manipulations (each technique relevant and within the scope of practice of each mentioned profession). We do not necessarily perform all these techniques and will explain beforehand any techniques the practitioner deems appropriate to perform. It is your right to accept or decline any suggested treatment.
YOUR INFORMED CONSENT to Osteopathy and other treatments provided at ONE HEALTH Centre
In attending your appointment either in-person or via Tele-Health, and confirming that we can register that you have read and understood the above you are stating the following – “I understand, and I am informed that, in the practice of Osteopathy and other therapies provided there are some very slight risks to treatment, including, but not limited to, muscle and joint soreness, muscle strains, joint strains, fractures, disc injuries or nerve injuries.
I understand, and I am informed that, with regard to Osteopathic or Physiotherapy manipulation to any joint, particularly in the cervical (neck) area, there are the above risks to treatment, including, but not limited to, muscle and joint soreness, muscle strains, joint strains, fractures, disc injuries, strokes or stroke like episodes.
I understand that results are not guaranteed. I do not expect the clinician to be able to anticipate and explain all risks and complications. I do wish to rely on the clinician to exercise professional judgement during the course of consultation and treatment, which the clinician feels at the time, based upon the facts then known, is in my best interests.
I understand that the clinician will use their best judgement throughout the consultation and that they rely on my full disclosure of all my medical and physical history to provide me with the safest and most appropriate outcome.
I understand that Tele-Health consultations are advice-based only and the clinician will, to the best of their ability provide safe and effective advice relating to my current issue.
I intend this consent form to cover the entire course of treatment for my present condition, and for any other future condition(s) for which I seek treatment. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time.”
Please note that this consent does not waiver your Common Law Rights, rather it is merely for you to acknowledge that you have been informed of the known risks. If you have any questions related to the treatment you are about to receive, or possible alternative approaches, please speak to the practitioner.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing you at your next consultation!
ONE HEALTH Centre
T: 02 6584 5343