New Patients
Our aim is to provide our patients with the highest level of care possible.
Your First Consultation
What should you expect at your initial surgical consultation?
At your first consultation we will ask you to complete a registration form and medical questionnaire. These are available to download from the website below to save you time when you arrive.
A/Prof White will often take clinical photographs to assist in your care – these form a part of your confidential medical history. We also ask for permission to use these for teaching and education purposes – this aspect is completely voluntary, and we respect your wishes if you choose to not give permission for this.
You will then have your consultation with A/Prof White where your diagnosis and treatment options will be discussed with you. If surgery is required, then a date will be arranged, and the necessary hospital paperwork completed in conjunction with the office staff.
A written quote will be provided to you outlining the surgical fees and an estimation of what other fees may be incurred (Anaesthetist, Pathology, Private Insurance Excesses etc). A complimentary education pack is provided giving more information about the nature of your condition and what to do before and after surgery.
Complex reconstructive and cosmetic surgery consultations
Complex reconstructive and cosmetic consultations have an extended first consultation. We recommend having a second consultation (which is generally included at no extra cost to you) a week or two later with A/Prof White. This is to enable you to have time to reflect on the information provided in the first consultation and be able to ask any further questions which you may have. Whilst many people are well educated about many of these procedures it is important to understand how they relate to you as an individual.
Choosing Your Surgeon
When choosing a surgeon to perform your surgery, it is important to ensure that they are properly trained to perform the procedure.
Australian surgeons should be members of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and this can be confirmed by the letters FRACS after their name. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons is the only surgical training body which is recognised by the Australian Medical Council. Doctors claiming to be members of other institutions such as the College of Cosmetic Surgery (FACCS) are not recognised by the Australian Medical Council or the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons as specialists to perform surgery.
The difference between a Plastic Surgeon and a Cosmetic Surgeon is additional training. At present, anyone with a basic medical degree may perform cosmetic surgery and promote themselves as a Cosmetic Surgeon. Only members of The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) are Plastic Surgeons with extensive training. It takes an additional 8-10 years of advanced specialist training after graduating from medicine to qualify as a Plastic Surgeon.
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons is recognised by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons as the only legitimate professional body representing the field of cosmetic surgery in this country. Not all doctors who practice cosmetic surgery are Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and therefore will not be entitled to use FRACS after their name. Although some doctors may call themselves cosmetic surgeons, they are not entitled to be members of ASPS.
Each member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons is fully trained and qualified in Plastic Surgery, operates only in accredited surgical facilities, adheres to a strict code of ethics, and regularly attends continuing medical education courses.
Associate Professor Dean White is fully trained and qualified in Plastic Surgery.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) and a member of:
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
You can contact the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons on 1300 367 446 or visit their website to check if your surgeon is a qualified plastic surgeon.
Read A/Prof White’s Profile for more information about his plastic surgery training and experience.
Fee Policy Guide
Consultations and Procedures in Rooms
- New Consultations (Standard) $200 (Pensioners/HCC $180) (Medicare rebate: $78.05)
- New Consultations (Extended) $275.00 (Medicare rebate: $78.05)
Extended Consultations generally have a recommended second appointment.
This second appointment is usually bulk billed. - Cosmetic consultations: Please be aware that cosmetic consultations and those without a referral letter do NOT qualify for Medicare rebates.
- Review Consultations $95.00 (Pensioners/HCC $85.00) (Medicare rebate: $39.25)
- Rooms Procedure* $500.00 (Facility fee – Out of Pocket expense) *NOTE: Cost of Procedure is then Bulk-billed through Medicare
- Biopsy Procedure $100.00 (Partial rebate through Medicare: $46.95)
Appointments following surgery are generally included as part of the cost of the operation up to a period of approximately 6 weeks. All consultation fees are due and payable on the day.
Understanding Surgery Fees
Overview of Private Operation Fees
This information is designed to help you understand the complexities of the health system. We endeavour to provide you with as much information prior to surgery as possible. Through the private system you have certainty over who will be doing the procedure (in this case, A/Prof White) and better choice over when the operation is performed.
The costs involved for procedures in the private system generally include:
- Surgeon’s Fees.
- Anaesthetist’s Fees (This is a specialist doctor involved in your procedure. We can provide the details of your specific anaesthetist once a date for surgery is determined).
- Hospital bed and theatre costs. If you have private health insurance this is confined to the excess that is determined by the policy, you take out with a specific insurer and the level of cover you choose. Some insurers have no excess for day surgery. In general, the insurers offer cheaper annual premiums in exchange for higher excesses when you use the insurance. This is why we recommend contacting your private insurer prior to any admission as we are not able to find out this information on your behalf. We can generally give you an estimate of which item numbers will be used. Please note that some insurers offer lesser policy (Intermediate) cover which are generally cheaper to take out. Unfortunately, this means that some procedures which attract a Medicare item number are not covered by the insurer – meaning large out of pocket costs to the patient. Instances may arise where payment is available for removing a skin cancer but not reconstructing it! We advise checking this prior to any procedure.
- Pathology if relevant (Blood tests, histopathology etc) – These tests are also undertaken by specialist trained doctors.
- Implants, prostheses etc.
Surgical Fees (A/Prof. White)
Traditionally a patient would come for a procedure and be given the bill at the post-operative appointment (as the numbers and costs are based on the formal pathology which is available approximately 48 hours later). The patient would then be responsible for the surgical fee in total. This could be anywhere between a few hundred and a few thousand dollars. The actual amount would not be known until after the procedure had been undertaken. The patient would then have to physically go to Medicare and then their insurer to obtain a partial refund of this fee. In practice the gap or out of pocket amount in this setting is often much more than the out of pocket fee we charge.
We have decided on a different approach in order to minimise actual out of pocket costs and to provide maximal pre-operative informed financial consent. It is also, we believe, much more convenient for the patient. A fee is charged at the time of booking your procedure – this is your only out of pocket costs for the surgical fee. Following the procedure we then liaise with the private insurer directly to obtain the balance. We feel that this is a more transparent and logistically easier method for the patients.
Different Billing Procedures for Certain Specific Operations Apply
For a sub-group of operations we charge the full surgical and anaesthetic fee upfront and the traditional system of obtaining rebates after the procedure still applies. We provide as detailed a quote as possible after your first consultation.
e.g. breast reductions, revisional breast implant surgery, some upper eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (nose) surgery, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) surgery.
Uninsured Patients
You may decide to self fund through the private system, but please be aware that the costs are quite significant for this as you will be responsible for all costs including for the theatre and bed. We can provide a quote for this.
Cosmetic Procedures
e.g. Face lift, cosmetic lower eyelid surgery, cosmetic breast augmentation, cosmetic liposuction.
For operations with no Medicare item numbers, all costs are born by the patient – Surgeon, anaesthetist, theatre, bed, implants, pathology etc. In this setting there is no coverage by either Medicare or private insurers.
It also means that the costs are subject to GST. We provide as detailed a quote as possible after your first consultation.
