DR LINDA FORD
An experienced Women’s Health GP Inverloch Vic.
Special interests: Menopause, Integrative Medicine, Migraine and Women's Health.
****** Now relocated to 49 Wonthaggi Rd INVERLOCH VIC **********
Generally: Consulting in-clinic is on Thursday and Telehealth on Fridays (or sometimes at other times if clinically indicated)
NEW PATIENTS ARE WELCOME.
Apology: there will be no Face to Face Clinic, on Thursday 21 November 2024
Dr Linda’s approach is comprehensive, thorough, unhurried and whole person focussed.
She combines General Practice and Complementary or Integrative Medicine.
She encourages patients to be well informed and to practice self care.
Its routine for Dr Linda to share digital copies of results and correspondence with her patients thru the Halaxy patient portal.
Dr Linda’s special interests:
Women's Health: Peri-menopause, Menopause, Migraine, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis,
Menstrual issues, Menstrual Migraine.
Integrative Medicine: strategies to encourage self care, healthy lifestyle and nutritional supplements (if necessary).
Dr Linda is a part time, solo GP.
She embraces Telehealth and digital communication with her patients.
Phone: 0386796532
Leave a detailed voice message for Dr Linda.
Dr Linda will personally respond to your messages.
If you’re an existing patient and cannot find an appropriate appointment time online: please contact Dr Linda.
She may schedule a time not available thru online booking.
QUALIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
MBBS (Hon) (Monash), DRANZCOG Adv., GDGM. MHlthSMgt.
For many years she worked as a GP Obstetrician in Berwick: providing pregnancy and delivery suite care at Casey (Monash Health) Hospital and at St John of God Private Hospital. She is a mother of five (now adults) and has a holiday home in Inverloch. She enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and walking her dog “Tiff”
NEW PATIENT INFORMATION
FAQ
FEES: INVERLOCH
Full Payment on the day.
Patients under financial hardship: theres an option to only pay the “out of pocket cost” on the day. Please discuss this with Dr Linda.
40 - 55 min consult Total Fee = $ (Medicare Rebate + $70 out of pocket cost)
40 - 55 min consult Total Fee = $ (Medicare Rebate + $50 out of pocket cost )
FEES: FAQ
Prescriptions S8 medications, eg Opioids & Strong Sedatives
PATIENT PORTAL: INFO & LOG ON: CLICK HERE
TELEHEALTH VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS. CLICK HERE
EMERGENCY and AFTER HOURS CONTACT NUMBERS
An experienced Women’s Health GP Inverloch Vic.
Special interests: Menopause, Integrative Medicine, Migraine and Women's Health.
****** Now relocated to 49 Wonthaggi Rd INVERLOCH VIC **********
Generally: Consulting in-clinic is on Thursday and Telehealth on Fridays (or sometimes at other times if clinically indicated)
NEW PATIENTS ARE WELCOME.
Apology: there will be no Face to Face Clinic, on Thursday 21 November 2024
Dr Linda’s approach is comprehensive, thorough, unhurried and whole person focussed.
She combines General Practice and Complementary or Integrative Medicine.
She encourages patients to be well informed and to practice self care.
Its routine for Dr Linda to share digital copies of results and correspondence with her patients thru the Halaxy patient portal.
Dr Linda’s special interests:
Women's Health: Peri-menopause, Menopause, Migraine, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis,
Menstrual issues, Menstrual Migraine.
Integrative Medicine: strategies to encourage self care, healthy lifestyle and nutritional supplements (if necessary).
Dr Linda is a part time, solo GP.
She embraces Telehealth and digital communication with her patients.
Phone: 0386796532
Leave a detailed voice message for Dr Linda.
Dr Linda will personally respond to your messages.
If you’re an existing patient and cannot find an appropriate appointment time online: please contact Dr Linda.
She may schedule a time not available thru online booking.
- Visits: 49 Wonthaggi Rd Inverloch Vic
- Please Book Online: New, Review or Telehealth
- All initial appointment are 60 minutes and reviews are generally 30 minutes.
- Please be patient: if you have complex issues, it may take time to work through your issues.
- Patients use: Halaxy Patient Portal: to send and receive messages, results, files and documents with Dr Linda.
- General Public: can send Dr Linda a message or share a file via this website: Contact Us
QUALIFICATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
MBBS (Hon) (Monash), DRANZCOG Adv., GDGM. MHlthSMgt.
- Member AMS: Australian Menopause Society
- Member ACNEM: Australian College Nutritional Environmental Medicine
- GP Member ACRRM: Australian College Rural Remote Medicine
- Advanced Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (DRANZCOG Adv)
- Graduate Diploma in Geriatric Medicine (UNSW)
For many years she worked as a GP Obstetrician in Berwick: providing pregnancy and delivery suite care at Casey (Monash Health) Hospital and at St John of God Private Hospital. She is a mother of five (now adults) and has a holiday home in Inverloch. She enjoys spending time with her family, gardening and walking her dog “Tiff”
NEW PATIENT INFORMATION
- New Patients welcome
- Patient registration and detailed medical history (intake form) is collected online using a secure LINK within “Halaxy” email. This email is sent within 24 hours of booking. Intake form must be completed within 5 days of booking to “confirm” your tentatively booked, new patient appointment. If you fail to complete the intake form within that time, then your tentative booking may be forfeited.
- First Visit: a Non Refundable Booking Fee ($50) is charged at the time of booking.
- Why a booking fee? Dr Linda spends considerable time, before your first visit: reviewing your health information, sourcing past results, collating health summary and planning for your visit.
- Card Payment Details: Mastercard / Visa / or Paypal details are captured during our online booking process.
- Sorry, registration must be completed online and cannot be completed in clinic.
- Test results: all results must be followed up by a review consultation.
- I prescribe Bio identical Female Hormones (MRT) but I do not prescribe them in “compounded pharmacy hormone products”. Why? Please refer to this Link: www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/the-issue-with-bioidentical-hormones-free-health-article?gclid=CjwKCAjwsvujBhAXEiwA_UXnAN88dyautt-xpXGtKvBybb-OZFRwBCNOeQXzlz-lWihuZ3m81Rp96RoCONkQAvD_BwE’
- In clinic patients are asked to wear a face mask.
FAQ
- FAQ: How do I Register? Answer: an email ([email protected]) will arrive on the day you book. It contains a secure LINK. Click on the LINK and an online form opens. All answers are entered using your devices keyboard.
- FAQ: What can I expect at my first visit? Answer: Dr Linda adopts a thorough approach. She considers your presenting issue and also reviews your overall health.
- FAQ: Does Dr Linda excise skin lesions & lumps? Answer: No. She refers these patients onto a local “GP Skin Clinic”.
- FAQ: Can a Mental Health Plan (MHP) be completed at my first visit? Answer: No. Generally two consults are required to evaluate a mental health issue and make a psychologist referral.
- FAQ: Can my first or initial consult be by Telehealth? Answer: Yes, however you will not be eligible for a Medicare Rebate on consultation fee.
- FAQ: Does Dr Linda offer free, government supplied immunisations (ie clinic has a vaccine fridge?) (Eg covid or childhood). Answer: No. Many vaccinations can be undertaken by your local pharmacy.
- FAQ: Test results: all results must be followed up by with a review consultation.
- FAQ: How do I reschedule or cancel my appointment? Answer: Ph 0386796532 anytime and leave a voice message. Appointment “booking confirmation email” and “appointment reminder email”, both contain a Cancel / Reschedule LINK
- FAQ: Clinic Covid precautions? Answer: Patients under self isolation rules or current covid like symptoms (respiratory) please reschedule in clinic appointment to telehealth. . You are asked to wear a face mask at all “in person clinic “ appointments.
- FAQ Confidentiality: Your personal information is confidential and managed according to Australian Privacy Laws. OAIC
- FAQ Complaints: please contact the practice if you have a concern. If your issue is not resolved, you can later contact Health Care Complaints Commissioner, 30th Floor 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Telephone: 0386015222 or 1800136066
FEES: INVERLOCH
- Private Fees, no Bulk Billing
Full Payment on the day.
Patients under financial hardship: theres an option to only pay the “out of pocket cost” on the day. Please discuss this with Dr Linda.
- Subsequent Consults (Private full fee: ie not discounted)
40 - 55 min consult Total Fee = $ (Medicare Rebate + $70 out of pocket cost)
- Subsequent Consult: (discounted) for Aged Federal Government Pensioners.
40 - 55 min consult Total Fee = $ (Medicare Rebate + $50 out of pocket cost )
- Telehealth Fees: as above
- Telehealth Medicare Rebate: you must have had an in person consult (f2f) with Dr Linda, within the previous 12 months.
FEES: FAQ
- Patient Portal requests. Min Fee for a simple request is $30 (eg simple form, your question required a portal note being written by Dr, request for copy of results, a medical certificate, or repeat prescription ) No Medicare Rebates for Patient Portal services. If your request is complex you may be asked to book an appointment.
- Cancellation: non-attendance or late cancellation (less than 48 hours notice) may incur a charge (75% of expected fee).
- Full Payment required on the day.
- Online Medicare Claims: automatically submitted on your behalf.
- If payment cannot be completed on the day, because your card has “insufficient funds or is declined”, you may be charged an extra late pay admin fee ($20).
Prescriptions S8 medications, eg Opioids & Strong Sedatives
- Dr Linda does not prescribe regular S8 medications (except for cancer care )
- FAQ: Which medications are S8's? Answer: Opioid: e.g Pethidine, Fentanyl, Morphine, MS Contin, Kapanol, Oxycontin, Endone, Tapentadol (Palexia), Methadone. Strong sedatives: e.g Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), Alprasolam (Xanax) or regular Serepax.
- Dr Linda policy is: patients taking these medication daily their care is best undertaken from within a “group general practice”.
PATIENT PORTAL: INFO & LOG ON: CLICK HERE
TELEHEALTH VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS. CLICK HERE
EMERGENCY and AFTER HOURS CONTACT NUMBERS
- Medical Emergency: Phone 000
- Nurse on Call (24/7 Free Health Advice) Phone 1300606024
- Health Direct Symptom Checker: do you have a pain or concern and aren’t sure what to do? Try this helpful online tool: CLICK HERE
- Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (access by video consults: 24/7: emergency department staff: for non life threatening emergencies, available free for all Victorians: CLICK HERE TO ACCESS
- Gippsland After Hours “ Free GP Telehealth Service” operated by Health Access. Phone to Book: 1800272767
- Life Line (24/7). Phone 131114
- Kids Help Line (24/7) Phone 1800551800
- Mental Health Line (24/7) Phone 1800011511
- Bass Coast Health (Wonthaggi) Hospital Emergency Department Phone 0356713333
- Leongatha Hospital Urgent Care (GP supported). Phone 0356675555
- Acute Covid 19 and Antiviral Medication: Oral Plaxlovid.