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To ensure we provide the highest quality of care, we offer a range of appointment lengths—Short, Standard, Long, and Prolonged.

Choosing the correct duration allows your doctor to thoroughly assess your medical concerns and develop a complete management plan in a single visit. This proactive approach ensures you and your loved ones receive proper care while saving you time and money by reducing the need for follow-up bookings. OUR STANDARD INITIAL CONSULTATIONS ARE 15 MINUTES.

How to Book

• Online: Book quickly and easily via HotDoc.

• Phone: Call our friendly team on 07 4863 2001.

New Patients: We recommend to book for an initial long consult if you are a new patient tothe practice ( Except children ). Our staff will help you select the most appropriate appointment type to ensure your initial assessment is comprehensive.

Not sure which appointment to choose?

If you have multiple concerns or a complex issue, please speak with our administration staff. They are happy to help you decide on the right duration for your needs.

SHORT APPOINTMENT ( 5 MINUTES )

These brief consultations are designed for single, straightforward tasks. To ensure our clinic runs on time, there is no capacity to discuss additional medical concerns during these appointments.

Suitable for:

• Repeat prescriptions (scripts)- Except authority scripts.

• Referral updates for specialists or hospitals

• Vitamin B12 or Flu injections (Note: Not for childhood or travel vaccinations)

Booking Tip:
If you need more than one of the above items or wish to discuss a new health concern, please book a 15-minute Standard Appointment. This allows your doctor enough time to provide thorough care without feeling rushed.

STANDARD APPOINTMENT  (15 MINUTES)

Our standard consultations are designed for initial assessments of common health concerns or single-issue reviews.

Suitable for:

• Common Illnesses: Flu symptoms, coughs/colds (URTI), earaches, sore throats, toothaches, UTIs, or diarrhoea.

• Preventative Care: Childhood immunisations, travel advice, and travel vaccinations.

• Procedures: Ear syringing or checks of 1 or 2 skin moles.

• Administrative: Authority prescriptions.

Choosing a 15-minute slot ensures your doctor can focus on your immediate concern and provide a clear management plan.

LONG APPOINTMENT (20 MINUTES OR MORE)

We recommend booking a long appointment if you have multiple health concerns or complex medical needs. This extra time ensures your doctor can perform a comprehensive assessment and provide high-quality care without rushing.

Suitable for:

• Multiple Issues: If you have more than two simple concerns (as listed in our short or standard appointments).

• Chronic Pain & Conditions: Persistent backaches, headaches, chronic cough, or mental health reviews.

• Specialised Checks: Full-body skin checks, newborn baby checks, or Healthy Heart Checks (please note a follow-up is required after blood tests).

• Procedures: Iron infusions or the excision of a single, simple skin lesion.

• Follow-ups: Post-hospital discharge reviews or follow-up consultations after annual fasting blood tests.

• Workplace Health: Initial WorkCover appointments.

By selecting a longer duration, you help us stay on schedule while ensuring your medical problems are managed thoroughly in a single visit.

PROLONG APPOINTMENT (40 MINUTES OR MORE)

We offer extended appointments for complex health requirements that require a deeper level of care and assessment.

Suitable for:

• Complex Health Needs: When your medical history or current concerns require significant time to review thoroughly.

• Emergency Management: If you present with urgent symptoms such as chest pain or an acute asthma attack, our team will provide immediate initial management.

Please note that emergency cases requiring stabilization and hospital transfer may take 45 minutes or longer. In these instances, our priority is your safety and ensuring a seamless transition to hospital care.

MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATIONS (20–40 MINUTES)

We provide a supportive environment for patients seeking mental health support. Because these consultations require a thorough and sensitive assessment, a Long or Prolonged Appointment is required.

This includes:

• Mental Health Assessments: A comprehensive review of your wellbeing to determine the best path forward.

• Mental Health Treatment Plans (GP Management Plans): Creating a formal plan to help you manage your condition, which may include a referral to a psychologist or other allied health professionals.

Booking Tip:
To ensure your doctor has adequate time to listen and complete the necessary documentation, please book at least 20 to 40 minutes, If this is your first time discussing your mental health with us.

Our doctors are unable to complete a Mental Health Treatment Plan or referral during an initial visit.

To ensure the most accurate assessment and the best possible care, you will likely need to visit the practice two or more times.

TELEHEALTH CONSULTATIONS 

We offer telehealth appointments for referral updates, script requests, suspected COVID infections and results review upon doctors’ request. We strongly advise NOT to make a telehealth / telephone appointments for chest infections/chest pain/ headaches/ backaches that might require proper examination. WE DO NOT OFFER INITIAL TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS FOR NEW PATIENTS.

Prescription OR referral request 

We always advise you to have a short consultation with your doctor if you are ONLY booking for a script or a referral. If you are coming for this, plus another issue, then you will need to book a standard consult time.  

Over the phone requests are NOT RECOMMENDED if you have not seen your doctor for the last 6 months. Prescription requests over the phone or fax request from your chemist will incur a $40 fee.

INVESTIGATION RESULTS 

Investigation results CANNOT be requested over the phone from the admin staff as they are not medically trained to discuss them. You will get a text message to make an in-patient face-to-face appointment with your doctor after the results are completed. Our nursing team will contact you if a telephone consultation would be adequate or if a special appointment is required. However, if you have not heard from our practice within 14 days of completing the tests, you are more than welcome to speak with our friendly admin staff to arrange an appointment to see your GP or can book on line in HotDoc app.

IF YOU ARE 45+ - We are offering comprehensive medical assessment after annual fasting bloods which requires a long appointment.

BILLING POLICY IN GP SERVICE

We are not a bulk billing practice. To ensure we provide the highest quality of care, most consultations incur an out-of-pocket expense. 

For your convenience, we offer same-day Medicare rebates, meaning your refund is processed immediately back into your account at the time of payment. 

Bulk Billing Eligibility
We continue to bulk bill the following:

• Children: All children under 12 years of age.

• Preventative Health: Care Plans and Health Assessments.

• Government Vaccines: Consultations solely for government-funded immunisations. 

Discounted Fees
A reduced gap fee is available for: 

• Pensioner Concession Card holders.

• Health Care Card holders.

To attract a Medicare rebate, you will need an in-date and current referral [ within last 12 months] from your own GP for us to book an appointment.

Appointments are booked only after receiving your own GP’s referrals. As a policy initial referrals/ annual referrals / continuous referral updates are NOT supplied by our GP service at The Discovery Health Centre unless your regular GP is in our service. It is your responsibility to get a referral or referral updates from your own GP and the referral letter should be here when you come to see your specialist. Otherwise, you will have to pay the full cost of the appointment and no Medicare rebates.

Appointments cannot be booked online. After your referrals are categorised by the specialist, our admin staff will contact you and inform you of the appointment date, time and cost of the appointment.  

Billing in specialist suites

Our independent specialists are NOT bulk billing. There is an out-of-pocket fee for the appointment. Out-of-pocket expenses vary depending on the appointment duration, nature of the presentation and the specialty. You can inquire about the cost of the consultation before the appointment booking.   

Always make sure you have clarified your out-of-pocket expenses at the time of booking to avoid disappointment after your specialist consultation.  

The Discovery Health Centre Privacy Policy

Current as of: 22/03/2026
To be reviewed: 29/01/2028

The objective of this privacy policy is to provide you, our patients, with clear information on how your personal information is collected and used within our practice. Occasionally we also need to share your personal information to involve others in your healthcare and this policy outlines when, how, and why we share your information. 

1 - Who can I contact about this policy? 

For enquiries concerning this policy, you can contact our administrative team at the above email address, phone number or fax number and we will endeavour to get back to you with 48-hour working days.

2 - When and why is your consent necessary? 

When you register as a patient of this practice, you provide consent for the GPs and practice staff to access and use your personal information to facilitate the delivery of healthcare. Access to your personal information is restricted to practice team members who require it for your care. If we ever use your personal information for purposes other than healthcare provision, we will obtain additional consent from you. 

It is important to us that as our patient, you understand why we collect and use your personal information. 

3 - Why do we collect, use, store, and share your personal information? 

Our practice collects, uses, stores, and shares your personal information primarily to manage your health safely and effectively. This includes providing healthcare services, managing medical records, and ensuring accurate billing and payments. Additionally, we may utilise your information for internal quality and safety improvement processes such as practice audits, accreditation purposes, and staff training to maintain high-quality service standards. 

4 - What personal information is collected? 

The information we will collect about you includes your: 

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details, social history, job status, marital status, sexuality 

• medical information including medical history, medicines, allergies, and adverse reactions immunisations, social history, family history and risk factors 

• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes 

• healthcare identifier numbers 

• health fund details. 

5 - Can you deal with us anonymously? 

You can deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals. 
Please be aware that dealing with us anonymously or under pseudonymisation will affect Medicare records and rebates, and create inconsistencies in your health record. 

Please notify our administration team and your GP as soon as possible of your intention to deal with us anonymously if this is your wish. We will respect your privacy and wishes and endeavour to establish confidential and efficient healthcare for you.

6 - How is personal information collected? 

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways: 

When you make your first appointment, the practice team will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration. 

We may also collect your personal information from health records from previous providers. If you wish to have your health records transferred to our clinic, please contact our administration team for the release of information form to complete and sign. We will contact your previous provider and collect the information for you at your consent.

Our clinic has access to digital health services such as My Health Record. Our clinic will be able to access your records on this system if you have set the rights on your own personal record. If you do not wish us to have access to your My Health Record please let our administrative team, your GP or your Nurse know and we can deactivate access to your personal record with us. Please discuss with your GP if you have any concerns or questions in relation to My Health Record access. Please note, that deactivation may affect your management and treatment options as we will not be able to access your recent medication changes, radiology images or pathology reports if done elsewhere or in Hospital. 

We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment, or communicate with us using social media.

In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources, including: 

• Your guardian or responsible person. 

• Other healthcare providers such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services, and pathology and diagnostic imaging services involved in your care. 

• Your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (if relevant). 

• While providing medical services, further personal information may be collected via: 

1. Electronic prescribing 

2. My Health Record 

3. Online appointments.

4. Viewer (hospital visits, pathology/ images/ discharge summary)

Various types of images may be collected and used, including: 

• CCTV footage: Collected from our premises for security and safety purposes only for outside the premises.

• Photos and medical images: These can be taken using personal devices for medical purposes, following the guidelines outlined in our guide on using personal devices for medical images.    

We will always comply with privacy obligations when collecting personal information from third-party sources. This includes ensuring transparency with patients, obtaining necessary consents, maintaining data accuracy, securing the information, and using it only for the specified purposes.

7 - When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?  

We sometimes share your personal information: 

• with third parties for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers when fixing technical issues or reviewing process – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy and your information never leaves the practice.

• with other healthcare providers (e.g. In referral letters) 

• with third party companies, such as Workcover, Insurance, Employers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and are only shared at your consent. 

• when it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas, solicitors) 

• when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, care givers life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent 

• to assist in locating a missing person 

• to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim 

• for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process 

•  When it is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification) 

• When it is provision of medical services, through electronic prescribing, My Health Record (e.g. via Shared Health Summary, Event Summary, eScript). 

• When you request/consent for the release of records from another health practitioner.

Only people who need to access your personal information will be able to do so. Other than providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, the practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent. 

We do not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent. 

8 - Will your information be used for marketing purposes? 

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any goods or services directly to you without your expressed consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying the practice in writing. 

9 - How is your information used to improve services?  

Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services offered to patients through research and analysis of patient data for quality improvement and for training activities with the practice team 

We may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified, and the information is stored within Australia. You can let reception staff know if you do not want your information included. 

10 - How are document automation technologies used? 

Document automation is where systems use existing data to generate electronic documents relating to medical conditions and healthcare.  

Our practice uses document automation technologies to create documents such as referrals, which are sent to other healthcare providers. These documents contain only your relevant medical information. 

These document automation technologies are used through secure medical software Best Practice. 

All users of the medical software have their own unique user credentials and passwords and can only access information that is relevant to their role in the practice team. 

The practice complies with the Australian privacy legislation and APPs to protect your information. 

All data, both electronic and paper are stored and managed in accordance with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Privacy and managing health information guidance. 

11 - How is your personal information stored and protected? 

Your personal information may be stored in various forms, however, predominately as electronic records. Some records may be printed or handwritten and are kept on our premises under strict security. There are some occasions of AI voice transcription that is strictly used and stored only in office. Please discuss with your doctor if you have any concerns or wish to opt out of this service. 

Our practice stores all personal information securely. Electronic records are stored on a medical digital software, Best Practice and AI programs such as Lyrebird or Heidie which are protected with individual passwords, confidentiality agreements (by all staff and contract members), and secure internet protection in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles. Paper records are stored in a locked cabinet that is only accessible to the relevant staff members involved in your care.

Our practice is also monitored with CCTV security that records and stores recordings of outside the premises during afterhours. There are no CCTV recordings inside the clinic. All recordings are strictly confidential and are not shared with any third party, with the only exception for legal/court subpoena in the unlikely event of legal investigation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our administrative team.

12 - How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice? 

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information. 

The practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. Any results, reports or correspondences that have been notified by the Doctor are able to be accessed by you at any time through one of our staff members. Any new results, reports, or correspondence that have not yet been notified by the Doctor cannot be released until such time as this has been discussed and approved for release by your Doctor.

If you wish to collect your personal medical records to transfer to another clinic, you will need to sign a consent form to give legal permission for us to release your information. We can then transfer your records directly to the clinic of choice or provide you with the record to deliver yourself. Please specify to the administrative team the preferred mode delivery and the format (e.g. electronic records can be transferred by a format that is only accessible to another secure medical digital software). The transfer of health summary information involves no cost to you; however, the release of a full record acquires the practice fee of $30 to cover staff time, paper and/or disc costs.

The practice will respond to any requests to access or correct your personal information within 48-72 hours. 

The practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. Sometimes, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by the practice is correct and current. You may request we correct or update your information at any time there is a change or identification of error on reports/referrals.To do this please contact the administrative team by email: admin@discoveryhealth.com.au or by phone: 4863 2001. 

13 - How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at the practice? 

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have. We will attempt to resolve it in accordance with the resolution procedure. Any concerns/complaints are preferred to be sent to us by mail or email, to allow for accurate identification of the issue and reduce the risk of misinformation by human error if taken by phone. You are within your rights to still phone our administrative team to discuss any concerns, however, the preferred method of informing us is in writing. Any concerns/complaints will be addressed within 7 business days.

If you do not feel we have resolved your issue You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner Queensland. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner Queensland will require you to give them time to respond before they investigate.  For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au. You can contact the OAIC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) on (07) 3234 7373 or 1800 642 753, or by email: enquiries@oic.qld.gov.au

14 - How is privacy on the website maintained?  

At The Discovery Health Centre, any personal information you share with us through website, email, and social media, is handled securely and confidentially. Our website is protected through Squarespace platform that ensures the safety of technical and organisational security, and data protection. This practice uses Windows Defender, DNS filtering and Firewall to protect our internet and software infrastructure in clinic.

15 - Practice compliance and accountability.

Here at The Discovery Health Centre, all staff members are required to receive privacy and confidentiality training at their induction through accredited training providers. If you have any concerns about a staff member’s performance in privacy and confidentiality matters, please contact our manager via phone, email or postal mail.

16 - Policy reviews statement

Our privacy policy is regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with current obligations.  

If any changes are made: 

• They will be reflected on the website. 

• Significant changes may be communicated directly to patients via email or other means. 

Please check the policy periodically for updates. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.