The Pioneer Medical Centre began in 1994 when Dr Peter Ford relocated his practice from Ridgehaven to Tea Tree Gully. Dr Peter Joseph joined the practice in 1999. Dr Christopher Elieff relocated his Kersbrook Practice to Pioneer in 2007. Dr Paul Davidson joined the practice as an independent practitioner in 2017. Drs Bun Yiv, Bryan Robertson, Penny Need and Stella Prescott joined Pioneer as GP registrars and subsequently, post Fellowship, as independent practitioners. The ownership and management of Pioneer Medical was transferred to Drs Yiv, Robertson, Need and Prescott in 2014. Dr Ford continues with the practice as a senior associate.
Pioneer Medical Centre is an accredited training practice for Registrars (Dr Deepti Singhal is our current Registrar), medical students and nursing students.
Accreditation
Pioneer Medical Centre is an AGPAL Accredited Practice.
Accreditation means that our Practice meets the strict standards set by the RACGP (Royal College of General Practitioners), acknowledging our commitment to safe, high quality health care. Our Practice undergoes accreditation every 3 years.
For you, meeting these standards means that
We use clean and sterile equipment
We provide you with safe, high quality health care
We respect your rights and needs as patients
We are committed to ongoing education and training.
Complaints/Feedback
We at Pioneer Medical Centre welcome your feedback and views on your experience whilst visiting our centre. If you wish to make a complaint, provide suggestions for improvement or give us a compliment there are a number of ways for you to do this.
Complaints
If you are not happy with any aspect of your care whilst visiting Pioneer Medical Centre, we would like to hear about it so that we may improve our services and respond to your complaint.
In the first instance please contact our Practice Manager or your doctor. Or contact AHPRA on 1300 419 495.
Compliments/Improvement
We hope you enjoyed your experience at Pioneer Medical Centre, and it is great to hear what the positives are, so please tell one of our friendly staff if you are happy with the service you received, or anything you feel would improve your experience at the centre.
Management of Personal Privacy
Pioneer Medical Centre respects the privacy of patients and their families. To provide you with the best possible care, it is important for you to be able to trust us and share with us all the information necessary to be able us to diagnose and treat you.
Staff and doctors of the Pioneer Medical Centre abide by the Privacy Act 1988 and its 2012 amendments. For further information, go to http://www/oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-news. This Act formalises the already existing and acknowledged privacy obligations of our practice.
Health information may be contained in paper records and may also be held electronically, or in other mediums depending on the tests and treatment you have had. (For example, x-ray records). ALL DOCTORS AND PRACTICE STAFF HAVE SIGNED A CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT.
Your information is kept under strict security. Personal health information will only be disclosed to a third party where consent has been obtained.
Request for transfer of medical information to another doctor will only occur when a signed consent form by the patient has been obtained.
Pioneer Medical Centre has appropriate measures in place to protect all personal health information, both electronically and physically.
If you have any questions about our policies please check with our practice manager or your doctor.
In some circumstances we are legally obliged to disclose information about you. Examples include:
Where your records have been subpoenaed for a court case.
Where we are legally required to collect information about particular health conditions such as life-threatening diseases, or diseases with high public health risks.
You have a right to access your personal information, subject to some exceptions allowed by law. If you would like to do so, please let us know. You may be required to put your request in writing for security reasons.
For a copy of our full privacy policy, please enquire at our reception.
Telephone Access
Practice doctors will take emergency calls during consults. If your call is regarding a non urgent medical matter that requires discussion, the doctors would appreciate you making an appointment to see them. Other queries can be discussed with our receptionists who will endeavour to answer your query. If they are unable to answer your query, they will take your contact details and a practice staff member or doctor will contact you later with appropriate information. Due to consulting times, this may not be possible until the end of doctor’s sessions.
Emails
Our practice email address is pioneermed@adsl.on.net. This email is mainly for administrative purposes, is not monitored 24 hours a day 7 days per week and is unencrypted (unsecure). Information sent via this unsecure email is not protected from authorised access. We suggest patients wishing to send or request information via email contact the practice to discuss further.
If the email is regarding a medical problem or medical issue, please do not send information by email - contact the surgery as soon as possible by phone on 83962522 to receive timely care.
Teaching
This practice participates in medical student training. The receptionist will, if possible, advise you that a third person will be present at your consult when booking your appointment, then at attendance at reception and again on entering consult rooms.
Please advise us if you are not comfortable with the presence of a third party.
Occasionally the practice participates in clinical audits using de identified information. If you have concerns about this, please talk to a staff member.
there are no private flu vax available now - we are out of stock and unable to access any more
$73.00 paid in full at time of consult - 10% discount on total fee and 20% reduction on patient contribution.
Concession card holders will receive a further reduction. A standard consult fee will be $60.00, paid in full at time of attendance.
Medicare rebate for standard consult is $37.05.
Our reception staff are able to assist you to get your Medicare rebate back at the same time as you pay your account. Please discuss with them how you can receive this service.
Patients can still choose to pay only the gap at the time of consult; however, this will incur a higher fee. Gaps will be $43 and $30, respectively.
AMA recommends a patient fee of $79.00.
Fees have also changed on extended consults and procedures - please discuss with our reception staff.
Parents of children under age of16 please note that any consults after 5.30pm and on Saturdays will be charged at normal fees.
Fees are at doctors discretion and if you feel you have extenuating circumstances, please discuss these with your GP.
Facilities
Smoking
It is the policy of the Practice that smoking not be permitted within the Medical Centre. Location - Bus Routes - 542 and 551 stop at bus stop 51 on North East Rd. 541 stops at bus stops 50 and 51 on Hancock Rd. 550 stops at bus stop 50 on North East Rd.
Infant Care
Change table facilities are located in the toilet for the disabled.
Access for people with Disabilities
Disabled car parks and access to Centre is located at rear of building. Assistance can be requested when making the appointment, or on arrival please ring the bell situated near the rear entrance.
Infection Control
All instruments and needles are either disposable or thoroughly sterilised by accredited autoclaving.
