CLICK HERE TO CHECK IN AT OUR VIRTUAL (telehealth) CLINICopenforbusiness

We recommend all individuals over 12 years of age wear a face mask when attending our practice in person, but no longer provide masks for patient use. Videoconsultations are conducted via our dedicated virtual clinic to maximise patient and staff safety. Long consultations and our See and Treat service remain adjusted under our COVIDsafe plan to include the use of telehealth to reduce face to face time. We require that all patients provide a referral prior to booking an appointment so we can identify and manage urgent and emergency conditions in a timely manner, and so that Dr Tomlinson can assess your suitability for a telehealth appointment and identify any further information or investigations that might be required before your consultation. We are currently booking routine, non-urgent new patient appointments six months ahead, and as such we recommend that patients with suspicious skin lesions (not biopsy proven skin cancers) seek biopsy and/or treatment from a provider with a shorter waiting list.  If you are eligible to get vaccinated and/or boosted, please do so. 

We appreciate that your time is valuable. We endeavour to run as close to schedule as possible and to provide you with all the information you require to make informed decisions about your treatment. Please help us to do this by providing us with your medical history, preparing a list of any questions and bringing any x-rays or other results and scans that are relevant to your condition. Please also ensure that you check in to the virtual waiting room via your computer or device (or alternatively are available to answer your phone, if you elect to have a telephone consultation) five minutes prior to your appointment.

We ask all patients to submit this form before the initial appointment. If you have any questions about the form, please ask.        

Patient Registration Form

Do I need a referral?

Yes, a referral from your GP is required to book most new patient appointments, and if you are to claim part of the cost of your consultation and surgery from Medicare. Medicare rebates are not available for cosmetic surgery.

How much will it cost for the initial consultation?

Our initial standard consultation fee is $320; this fee is payable on the day for all patients including Workcover and TAC patients. The fee is subject to a Medicare rebate of $78.05 with your doctor's referral. Cosmetic consultations are not eligible for a Medicare rebate. If you have a Workcover or TAC claim number you will be able to receive a reimbursement of approximately two thirds of the consultation cost from Workcover or TAC. Payment is expected on the day of the consultation; if you do not pay on the day of the consultation you will incur an additional 10% administrative fee. Payment is expected on the day of the consultation; if you do not pay on the day of the consultation you will incur an additional 10% administrative fee. 

Long consultations are charged at $400. This includes consultations for labiaplasty, male breast surgery and cosmetic surgery. During the COVID19 pandemic we are separating these consultations into an initial telehealth consultation followed by a separate face to face consultation for an examination on another day.  

What if I can’t make my appointment and need to change or cancel?

For standard appointments we require that you provide one business day notice by phone or email if you will not be able to be present face-to-face or via phone or videoconference for your scheduled appointment. Appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice will attract a full consultation fee. If you are late for your appointment this will reduce the amount of time that you will have to see your surgeon, which may make it necessary for you to schedule an additional appointment - so please make sure you are checked in to the virtual waiting room on your computer or device at the time of your appointment, or alternatively have your phone line open and ready to accept our call.

**NB Long appointments are not currently available under our COVIDsafe plan - patients will instead be offered an initial telehealth appointment, followed by a face to face appointment** For long appointments we require that you provide 5 business days notice by phone or email if you will not be able to attend your scheduled appointment. Appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 5 business days notice will attract a full consultation fee. If you are late for your appointment this will reduce the amount of time that you will have to see Dr Tomlinson, which may make it necessary for you to schedule an additional appointment - so please allow sufficient time to travel to your appointment and to find parking. 

What should I send through prior to my appointment?

We require that you send us your GP's referral before we can book you an appointment. Please also send through:

  • The three page form mentioned above; this will include your Medicare or Veterans' Affairs card number and expiry, and any health insurance details (private health, Workcover or TAC claim number and date)
  • Details of all relevant x-rays, scans, nerve studies and other test results
  • A list of your medications if these do not fit within the space provided on the Patient Registration form
  • If you are having a telephone or video consultation, please provide photographs of any relevant area. 
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How do I "check in" to see Dr Tomlinson for my video consultation?

Written by jill@jilltomlinson.com on .

melbhandsurgerydoxymedrjilltomlinsonTo consult with Dr Tomlinson via video, first you need to use Chrome, Firefox, or Safari browser.  A camera and microphone are required if you are using a computer; you can also use a smartphone or tablet.

“Check-in” to see Dr Tomlinson in three simple steps:

  1. Click here to go to Dr Tomlinson's virtual clinic.
  2. Enter your name, click "Check-In".
  3. You are now in Dr Tomlinson's virtual waiting room. Dr Tomlinson will be with you shortly.

 These steps are outlined in the flyer below or can be viewed in this video. 

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Communication, Privacy, eHealth and My Health Record

Written by Dr Jill Tomlinson on .

Our practice adopts eHealth practices wherever practicable to streamline processes, improve communication and maintain the security of patient information. 

This includes

Patient privacy

We respect patient privacy. All patients are provided with a privacy consent form which details the collection and use of personal information, and explains how this information will be used by this practice.

Our practice privacy policy can be accessed here. It explains how we collect, store, use and disclose your personal information; how you may access your personal information; how we protect the quality and security of your personal information; how you may seek correction of any personal information we hold; and how you may make a complaint about our handling of your personal information.

How is secure messaging used?

Secure messaging systems including Argus, HealthLink and MedicalObjects are used by our practice to send patient letters to your referring doctor. In many instances your doctor may send his or her referral to our practice via these systems. These electronic systems are faster and more secure than the traditional methods of fax or mail and use no paper. These messaging systems are encrypted so they are more secure than standard email. 

What is the My Health Record?

"My Health Record is the new name of the national digital health record system. Having a My Health Record means your important health information like allergies, medical conditions and treatments, medicine details, test or scan reports can be digitally stored in one place."

If you have a My Health Record this means that your treating doctor and our practice nurses can access your My Health Record at any time when we need to, unless you tell us that you do not want us to access it, or you set your privacy settings to restrict our access. We can also manually upload an Event Summary that contains important summary information about your treatment (including, for example, the type of prosthesis used in your surgery, or your pathology results). If results and Specialist Letters are uploaded to your My Health Record this means that if you visit another doctor in the future there is a record, which you have access to, of what happened in the past. We do not currently upload Specialist Letters to your My Health Record as our software vendor has not developed this functionality.

More information about My Health Record, including privacy options and frequently asked questions, is available at the My Health Record website.  

What the My Health Record is not

The My Health Record does not replace electronic health record systems held by your treating doctors and practitioners. It does not replace secure messaging systems used by your referring doctor and our practice to communicate about your care. 

Only a selected portion of the information that is held in your medical records will be uploaded to your My Health Record. For example, your general practitioner may upload a summary document of your health, but will not upload details about about every consultation that you have. 

Similarly, your consultation notes from our practice will not be uploaded to My Health Record. We do not anticipate that every consultation or procedure will result in an upload of information to your My Health Record. 

You can request that a specialist upload specialist letters and summary information to your My Health Record, and you can also request that he or she not upload information to your My Health Record. However, uploading information is a manual process that is undertaken by your healthcare provider, and just as only a minority of Australians currently have a My Health Record, many healthcare providers are currently unable to access to My Health Record. This practice is able to access and upload documents to My Health Record, but other specialists may not be able to. 

The My Health Record does not replace the need for you to 

  • provide a referral, if you wish to receive Medicare Benefits for your treatment
  • bring scans or x-rays and CDs of radiology investigations to your consultation

How can I register for a My Health Record?

Visit the My Health Record website here for instructions on how to register for a My Health Record.

How do I consent to the use of My Health Record?

If you have a My Health Record you are taken to have given consent for your healthcare providers to access your My Health Record as part of your healthcare.  If you do not wish for us to access your My Health Record you can a) set access controls on your My Health Record, or b) advise us that you do not wish for us to access your My Health Record. If you do not wish for us to upload information to your My Health Record please advise us.

If you do not wish for any healthcare provider to access or upload information to your My Health Record then we recommend that you contact the Australian Digital Health Agency to cancel your My Health Record. 

We may access your My Health Record while you are an active patient of this practice, for the purposes of:

  • accessing your Shared Health Summary, Specialist Letters or Event Summaries (should any exist)
  • uploading an Event Summary
  • uploading a Specialist Letter (once our software vendor develops this functionality)

You can monitor which healthcare organisations have accessed or updated your My Health Record by checking online or by calling the Australian Digital Health Agency on 1800 723 471.

What information may be included in an Event Summary?

If we upload an Event Summary to your My Health Record it will identify our practice as the organisation that uploaded the information, and may include:

  • the date of your procedure or surgery
  • your pathology or radiology report(s)
  • details of any adverse reaction(s), such as a reaction to antibiotics or analgesic medications

If you detect that any of the information is incorrect you can request that we remove the Event Summary. We can then upload an Event Summary with the correct information. It is not possible to edit documents that have been uploaded to My Health Record, but they can be deleted and replaced. 

What information may be included in a Specialist Letter?

If we upload a Specialist Letter to your My Health Record it will identify our practice as the organisation that uploaded the letter. The letter will contain the words in the letter written by Dr Tomlinson to your referring doctor and any interested parties (for example, your hand therapist). It may include your contact details, descriptions of your symptoms, your hand diagnosis, your proposed treatment plan, your medications, your medical problems, your pathology or radiology results and details of your examination findings.

Any Specialist Letters that are uploaded to the My Health Record system are uploaded on the basis that they may be useful to you or to a party other than the person or persons that the letter is addressed to.

MANAGING ACCESS, PRIVACY AND SECURITY WITHIN MY HEALTH RECORD

For more information on how you can manage access, privacy and security within My Health Record please click here. 

 

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Preparation for Hospital Surgery

Written by Dr Jill Tomlinson on .

Please read through the following information to ensure that you are prepared for your surgery. A personalised email with this information (including the name of your anaesthetist and hospital with the specific links) will be send to you 1-2 weeks prior to your scheduled surgery.

Preadmission forms

Please complete your hospital preadmission forms at least 7 days prior to surgery. This will streamline your hospital admission process, making the process more efficient for you. 

Surgical Fees

We require payment of your surgical fees 7 days in advance. You can pay by cash, bank cheque, credit card (no Amex or Diners Club) over the phone or direct deposit. To pay by credit card please use PayPal or contact us on (03) 9427 9596 so that we can take payment over the phone. Direct deposit details are located on your financial consent forms. We do not take payment for third parties (eg the hospital, your anaesthetist) although we do take payment for garments and other consumables listed on your fee estimate. If you have any questions regarding the amount to be paid please contact us on (03) 9427 9596.

You will be given an initial receipt for your payment on the day of surgery. The final itemised surgery receipt is created after your surgery has been completed, to ensure that the item codes match with the surgery performed. You will be given this final receipt at the time of your first post operative appointment, unless you request that it be sent to you earlier. This is the receipt that you can submit to your insurer or Medicare (if applicable).

Check with your Insurer

If you haven't already, we recommend that you ask your Private Health Insurer (if applicable) about:

  • whether you are covered for the proposed surgery in hospital (your insurer will need the 5 digit item number on your fee estimate to answer this)
  • if you have any excess or co-payments applicable to your cover

If you unexpectedly discover that you are not covered for the surgery please contact our office to discuss your options. Insurance and Medicare rebates are not applicable for cosmetic surgery procedures.

Your Anaesthetist

Dr Tomlinson works with a number of specialist anaesthetists. The name of your anaesthetist will have been provided to you in your surgery information. If you wish to contact your anaesthetist in the days leading up to your procedure please contact our rooms so we can provide you with the contact details. 

The Hospital

Fasting Instructions

The Hospital will call you prior to your surgery date to let you know what time you will be admitted and when you will be required to fast from. If your surgery is being performed under sedation or under general anaesthetic then you must fast prior to your surgery. If your surgery is being performed under local anaesthetic only (ie if you are not having sedation or general anaesthetic) then you do not have to fast prior to the surgery.

Food: A light meal may be taken up to 6 hours prior to sedation or general anaesthetic. This light meal should not include fried or fatty foods or meat, as these foods can delay the emptying time of your stomach.

Fluids: Clear fluids up to 200ml per hour may be taken up to 4 hours prior to sedation or general anaesthetic – please stop drinking 2 hours before you arrive at the hospital. Clear fluids include water, fruit juices without pulp (orange juice with pulp is not acceptable), clear tea (tea with milk is not acceptable), and black coffee (coffee with milk is not acceptable). Alcoholic drinks are not acceptable.

Medications: You may continue your usual oral medications unless otherwise requested by Dr Tomlinson or your anaesthetist.

Specific instructions need to be followed if you are diabetic or on blood thinning medications; please discuss these with Dr Tomlinson (for blood thinning medications) or your anaesthetist (for diabetic medications).

Your Arrival Time

A Pre-Admission Patient Liaison Officer from the hospital or our rooms will contact you by phone or email in the week prior to your procedure regarding preparation and to confirm your admission time and your fasting time (if applicable). If however, you have not been contacted 24 hours prior to your procedure please contact us.

What to bring with you

Please bring the following items with you on your surgery day:

  • Your Medicare card, insurance details, pensioner cards, DVA cards etc
  • A list of any allergies
  • Contact details for a responsible adult/ contact person
  • Relevant X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, MRI scans
  • A list of any medications or your actual medications if staying overnight
  • Wear comfortable clothes
  • If you are staying overnight – pyjamas/ sleepwear, change of clothes, toiletries

We also recommend that you bring something to read or keep yourself occupied with. We endeavor to minimise waiting times but even for relatively small procedures the total time in hospital can be several hours with the admission process, getting ready for surgery, being seen by Dr Tomlinson and your anaesthetist, the surgery and the recovery time. It is possible that the exact time of your surgery may be delayed if an earlier operation takes longer than anticipated; however, we ask you to be patient and calm if this occurs, your time will come!

A relative or support person is welcome to attend with you, or can arrive/ return after your procedure to take you home. Please provide your nominated persons contact details, and the hospital staff will call them to confirm the time they can collect you. Please leave valuables at home or in the care of someone you trust when they come in with you.

Leaving The Hospital

The length of time that you spend in the hospital depends on the type of procedure and anesthetic you have. The hospital staff will make sure that you are safe to go home and that your questions have been answered before you depart. If you have sedation or a general anaesthetic we require that an able bodied, responsible adult is available to accompany you home and stay with you for 24 hours. You must not drive, drink alcohol, sign legal documents or operate heavy machinery for 24 hours after having sedation or general anaesthetic.

Please don't hesitate to contact us on (03) 9427 9596 if you have further questions.

Thank you for choosing to have your surgery with Dr Jill Tomlinson.

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Practice Staff

Written by Dr Jill Tomlinson on .

Surgeon:

  • Jill Tomlinson

Administrative Staff:

  • Britt Barnes
  • Rose Hosking
  • Maryanne Monaco

Practice Nurses:

  • Beth Coates

Beth has held an avid interest in plastic surgery nursing since her first exposure as a junior nurse at St Vincent's Hospital in 2010. Her post graduate studies in reconstructive plastic surgery nursing were completed in 2012, and today Beth works part time at St Vincent's Hospital as an Associate Nurse Unit Manager on their ENT, plastics and vascular surgery ward. Beth enjoys working at the Practice on Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and has a special interest in treating ear deformities in infants using non-surgical molding techniques. When she is not working, Beth loves to travel, listen to audio books, and work in her garden.

  • Priscilla Crocker

Priscilla is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with specialist expertise in the areas of perioperative and day surgery nursing. She has a passion for high quality patient care in the perioperative environment. Priscilla has a Diploma of Management and when not working she enjoys travel, photography, and spending time with family and friends. Priscilla works on Fridays in our practice and has worked with Dr Tomlinson since 2006.

  • Selina Milton

Selina is a registered nurse who has 15 years of nursing experience and has worked in a variety of clinical specialties. Selina has post graduate qualifications in peri operative nursing and has worked for the last 7 years in areas such as anaesthetics, recovery, operating theatre as scrub/scout nurse, and endoscopy. In 2015 while on maternity leave Selina wanted to fulfil her passion in cosmetic nursing so she completed a post graduate diploma in cosmetic nursing through Australian Academy Of Cosmetic Dermal Science which has given her the qualification to provide anti-wrinkle injections, dermal filler injections, microdermabrasion, skin needling, and chemical peels, along with IPL and laser qualifications. Selina enjoys providing non surgical cosmetic procedures and has a special interest in dermal filler injections and the science behind skin. Selina prides herself in working with clients one on one, creating a comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan to help patients look and feel their best. She believes that patient education along with dedicated homecare is vital in the client achieving optimal results. When Selina is not working she enjoys to spend her time with her son, husband and family whether that be going for a bike ride, watching a movie, planning family holidays or heading out to a favourite Melbourne cafe for breakfast.

  • Fiona Davidson
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Practice Policies

Written by Dr Jill Tomlinson on .

Privacy Policy

Click here to download Dr Jill Tomlinson Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon's Practice Privacy Policy.

Complaint Handling Policy

Click here to view Dr Jill Tomlinson Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon's Complaint Handling Policy.

Late Arrival Policy

Patients are allocated a specific appointment time and duration of consultation. We encourage patients to arrive 10 minutes early to their first appointment so that they can complete patient registration forms prior to their consultation (see Your Initial Consultation).

While we will endeavour to accommodate patients who arrive late to their appointment, the duration of your consultation will be reduced by the amount of time that you were late for your appointment. You may be asked to return at a later time or on another day. Your consultation fee will still apply.

Missed Appointment Policy

We require 24 hours notice by phone if you will not be able to attend your scheduled appointment. Standard appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice will attract a full consultation fee of $320. Long appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 5 business days notice will attract the full consultation fee of $400. 

Online Privacy Policy

Click here to view Dr Jill Tomlinson Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon's Online Privacy Policy

Zero Tolerance of Aggression Policy

Our practice has zero tolerance towards either verbal or physical aggression. Any patient who is deemed to be aggressive will be asked to leave the premises and will be removed from our patient list.

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Website Disclaimer

This website is authored by Dr Jillian Tomlinson, a fully qualified plastic, reconstructive and hand surgeon who practices in Melbourne, Australia. This website aims to inform patients and health professionals about hand surgery, illness prevention and the practice philosophy of Dr Jill Tomlinson. This website's content is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her own doctor. The information is not intended to replace the advice of a health professional. This website does not host or receive funding from advertising or from the display of commercial content.