Your appointment
General appointment information
To make appointments for clinical consultations, Gold Coast Memory Disorders Clinic appointments, medico-legal evaluations, and competency assessments please make bookings through my practice phone number. For clinical consultations and memory clinic appointments a letter of referral from a GP or other doctor is needed to get Medicare reimbursement. My standard clinical fees are just a few dollars above the Medicare rebate.
Gold Coast Memory Disorders Clinic
Memory Clinic visits involve an initial comprehensive cognitive, medical and mental health assessment. Patients then have a series of investigations involving psychological and cognitive testing, speech and language assessment, blood and urine tests, and brain imaging studies. At the second visit the investigations are reviewed and a treatment and memory rehabilitation plan developed. The plan includes counselling to assist the patient and carers cope with the condition, cognitive remediation, and an emphasis on lifestyle changes that reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors for dementia. Anti-dementia medications are used when appropriate. Psychotropic medications and non-medication approaches are used carefully if behavioural and mood disturbances complicate the clinical picture. Patients are linked in with community support services. The plan is implemented in collaboration with the patient’s local doctor.
Medico-legal and capacity reports
Medico-legal evaluations and capacity assessments should usually be accompanied by a letter of referral or instruction from a lawyer or insurance company or other requesting organisation.
Tele-health
Tele-health consultations need to be accompanied by a GP referral (a brief letter is sufficient and can be emailed) and are available to all patients living inside or outside the metropolitan areas of capital cities. The patient will need to be familiar with operating a computer (or having a carer to help). A computer with a camera and good internet connection is required along with a video-conferencing program such as Skype or FaceTime or similar software. Tele-health consultations are bulk-billed.