KOWHAI SURGERY TERMS AND CONDITIONS
March 2024

 

 No Abuse Policy

We are aware going to a Doctor can increase anxiety and frustration for a number of reasons. We aim to support our patients in their journey with kindness and respect.

We strive to create a safe and secure environment for patients and staff alike. We will not tolerate behaviour that is threatening, abusive, or violent, and continued unacceptable behaviour may result in Kowhai Surgery not been able to provide you with any services.

 Appointment times:

We run appointment slots of 10-15min per person.  If you have multi-issues to discuss or assess, please ensure you book enough time. You may require two appointments either back-to-back or on different days. These will be charged as two appointments.

We are a busy practice and there is always pressure to have appointments available when patients need them. Therefore, it is very important that you attend your scheduled appointment. If you are unable to attend, please contact reception as soon as possible to cancel or rearrange your appointment.

Arriving on time: We reserve the right to decline the appointment to you if you arrive late for your appointment.

Missed appointments (DNA): We reserve the right to charge initial missed appointments, either face-to-face or a telephone consultation at $25.00 or $19.50 if you are a Community Service card holder and for subsequent non attendence a full consultation fee will be charged.

If you have difficulty with remembering appointments or with transport please discuss with reception and we can help to remind you. If you have a cell phone and these details are loaded on our computer system a text reminder will be sent 24 hours prior to appointment, If  appointment had been made via ManageMyHealth then these details can be confirmed via your ManageMyHealth patient portal.

We will aim to keep to time as best as possible: Due to some unforeseen emergencies/situations, this may not be the case. We do ask for your patience and we will do our best to have you seen. If you have another appointment or commitment please let the receptionist know as soon as possible to make an arrangement.

 

Repeat Long Term Medication Process:

 We offer repeat prescriptions for your long-term medications that you take regularly. Conditions do apply as follows:

• We are not legally obliged to offer repeat prescriptions. This is at the discretion of your Doctor.
• Allow 3 Working days for the script to be completed.
• Registered with the practice.
• A physical review with Doctor regarding your medications within the last three months or as per doctor instructions.
• No recent changes in medications. No recent hospitalisation or investigations where changes have been initiated or require review.
• This is to ensure that you receive the best possible medical treatment and most appropriate medication/dosage for your condition.
• No outstanding account.
• To order a repeat prescription on line use our patient Portal “Managemyhealth”, for account set up see “How to do” on website or call 094257358.

Or You may phone your repeat in to the receptionist 094257358

• We do not take requests via email, this is due to the potential delay in processing.

Please include:

• Name /Date of Birth/Medication you require / Pharmacy to send to. Contact phone number if able.
• Please refer to website for relevant charges: https://www.kowhaisurgery.co.nz/fees/

 

Accounts and payment:

Kowhai Surgery policy is that accounts be paid at the time of consultation unless a previous arrangement has been made. For remote, telehealth, or requested prescriptions via phone or email an invoice will be completed and a text, email, or hard copy invoice will be sent out directly.

Charges will be as per our current pricing schedule. Telephone consultations will be charged at the same as rate as a face-to-face consult.

ACC surcharges will apply to consultations and some non-standard consumables may incur extra charges.

Extra costs will be incurred for procedures that require added resources. Smears/ Liquid Nitrogen/Dressings/Surgeries/steroid injections etc

Accounts will be sent out each month via email or letter for any outstanding balances and for debts older than 30 days an administration fee of $10.00 per month will be charged automatically.

We aim to make payment as easy as possible by accepting the following payment options:

EFTPOS/Paywave
Medeor or Windcave via ManageMyHealth for credit card holders

Cash

Same day Direct Credit payment, Account:  02-0480-0141717-00.  Please put your invoice number in the code details and your initial and surname in the reference field.

Automatic Payments (forms available at reception, with a minimum payment of $10.00 per fortnight).

If you have problems with your ability to pay medical fees, please discuss with your Doctor or our Practice Manager who will put a process in place that is clear to prevent any confusion at the front desk.

If you do not pay by the due date, we reserve the right to refer your account to a debt collection agency at the account holder’s cost.  If your account remains outstanding we ask that any future visits must be paid prior to seeing the Doctor.

 

Privacy Statement

I understand the following:

Access to my health information

I have the right to access (and have corrected) my health information under Rules 6 and 7 of the Health Information Privacy Code 1994.

Visiting another GP [Not your usual Doctors Surgery]

If I visit another GP who is not my regular doctor, I will be asked for permission to share information from the visit with my regular doctor or practice.

If I have a High User Health Card or Community Services Card and I visit another GP who is not my regular doctor, he/she can make a claim for a subsidy, and the practice I am enrolled in will be informed of the date of that visit. The name of the practice I visited and the reason(s) for the visit will not be disclosed unless I give my consent.

Patient Enrolment Information

The information I have provided on the Practice Enrolment Form will be:

• held by the practice
• used by the Ministry of Health to give me a National Health Index (NHI) number, or update any changes
• sent to the PHO and Ministry of Health to obtain subsidised funding on my behalf
• used to determine eligibility to receive publicly-funded services. Information may be compared with other government agencies but only when permitted under the Privacy Act.

 

Health Information

Members of my health team may:

• add to my health record during any services provided to me and use that information to provide appropriate care
• share relevant health information to other health professionals who are directly involved in my care

Audit

• In the case of financial audits, my health information may be reviewed by an auditor for checking a financial claim made by the practice, but only according to the terms and conditions of section 22G of the Health Act (or any subsequent applicable Act).
• I may be contacted by the auditor to check that services have been received. If the audit involves checking on health matters, an appropriately qualified health care practitioner will view the health records.

 

Health Programmes

Health data relevant to a programme in which I am enrolled (e.g. Breast Screening, Immunisation, Diabetes) maybe sent to the PHO or the external health agency managing this programme.

 

Other Uses of Health Information

Health information not including my name, but may include my National Health Index Identifier (NHI) may be used by health agencies such as the District Health Board [Te Whatu Ora], Ministry of Health, or PHO for the following purposes, as long as it is not used or published in a way that can identify me:

• health service planning and reporting
• monitoring service quality
• payment

 

Research

My health information may be used for health research, but only if this has been approved by an Ethics Committee and will not be used or published in a way that can identify me.

Except as listed above, I understand that details about my health status or the services I have received will remain confidential within the medical practice unless I give specific consent for this information to be communicated.

 

Complaints process:

Attention Practice Manager

Email: General@kowhaisurgery.co.nz

Drop in: Kowhai Surgery 10 Percy Street Warkworth

Post: Kowhai Surgery PO Box 285 Warkworth 0910

Kowhai Surgery acknowledges the rights of the patient outlined within the Health & Disability Commissioners Code of Rights.  We aim to provide a high quality, professional service for all patients at all times.

This is a quality improvement tool for the service to ensure that we are providing appropriate services to our customers.

If you make a complaint to us:

We may require you to provide full details of your complaint in writing to us as soon as possible so we can fully investigate your complaint.

 

• We will let you know that we have received your complaint within FIVE working days unless it has been resolved to your satisfaction within that time
• Within TEN working days we will have assessed your complaint. If we need more time to investigate it further we will advise you of this.

 

Once we have investigated your complaint we will:

• Advise you of the outcome of our investigation
• Advise you of actions we propose to take
• Advise you of the practice appeal procedures and your rights to complain to the Health & Disability Commissioner or the Privacy Commissioner.

 

For complaints that take some time to fully resolve we will advise you about the progress of your complaint each month.

We will provide you with all the information that Kowhai Surgery holds that is, or may be, relevant to your complaint.

 

Thank You

Kowhai Surgery Team