FAQ

What does a urologist or urological surgeon do?

A urologist, also known as a urological surgeon, is a specialist health practitioner who investigates and treats diseases affecting the urinary tract including the kidneys and bladder, and the male genital tract. Most commonly, this means patients are referred to a urologist for treatment if they have problems with the bladder or kidneys, and in male patients, the prostate and genitalia.

What do I bring to the appointment?

Please bring:

referral letter from your GP or other referring doctor
pathology reports obtained by your GP
relevant x-rays, ultrasound scans and films
Medicare card, private health fund details, Australian Government Pension Card, DVA card
list of current medications

Do I need a referral?

Yes, in most cases. For Medicare card holders, a referral letter from your GP or other referring doctor allows you to claim the Medicare rebate or contribution to the cost of the consultation. It is also a good idea to initially discuss your concern with your usual GP who will determine the most appropriate specialist to further investigate. Dr Dias will write to your usual GP or referring doctor after the consultation to keep them informed about his role in your treatment and care.

Does this practice offer a Medicare "bulk bill" for the cost of the consultation?

No. Please call us to obtain our current consultation fees which will depend on the type of consultation required.

How do I get an urgent appointment?

Please call our rooms on (02) 8814 6837 during office hours and tell us what the problem is. An urgent appointment will be arranged for you. If you don't have a GP referral letter we recommend you visit your GP first, as they may be able to treat your problem or begin investigations. If required, your GP will write a referral letter to Dr Dias to further investigate the issue. Many of our referring GPs contact the rooms directly to arrange an urgent appointment for their patient, or to discuss their concerns with Dr Dias. Note that a referral letter from your GP or other referring doctor allows you to claim the Medicare rebate.

What is the cost of the consultation?

The cost of the consultation will vary depending on whether it is a first consultation, a follow up consultation or a second opinion. We will advise the current fee at the time of booking your appointment.

For Medicare card holders, a referral letter from your GP or other referring doctor allows you to claim the Medicare rebate or contribution to the cost of the consultation.

All consultations are payable at the time of the appointment. We accept cash, EFTPOS, MasterCard and Visa.

Unfortunately, private health insurance does not pay any benefits for the cost of a consultation in the practice’s consulting rooms.

What should I expect to happen at the initial consultation?

Dr Dias will ask questions about your concerns and your medical history, review the information sent with your referral, examine you if appropriate and discuss further investigations and treatment options. It may be necessary for you to attend to further investigations recommended by Dr Dias before treatment options such as surgery can be more fully discussed at a further appointment. Dr Dias will write to your referring GP or other referring doctor after the consultation to keep them informed about his role in your treatment and care.

What will my surgery cost?

If a surgical procedure has been offered, you will be given a Surgical Fee Estimate which provides the anticipated costs and fees for the anticipated procedure items. Unless stated otherwise, this document outlines the anticipated costs and fees for Dr Dias only. There will, of course, be other costs and fees associated with your procedure such as hospital and anaesthetist expenses.

The Surgical Fee Estimate that we provide will give you a good indication of what your out of pocket expenses are likely to be, if any, for the anticipated procedure. It’s a good idea to contact your health fund with questions that you may have about your cover for the procedure offered.

Sometimes your surgeon will not know what procedures will actually be performed until the surgery commences. He will expect that the procedures that have been explained to you will be performed, but for your safety and wellbeing sometimes some procedures will not be performed, some procedures will be abandoned or additional procedures may be performed that were not anticipated. This is the reality of surgery, and there may be additional costs to you associated with procedures that were required in these exceptional circumstances.

Please call us to discuss any questions you may have about costs and fees.

If you have presented and been admitted to a private hospital’s emergency department under the care of Dr Dias, it may not be reasonable or practical to give you a written Surgical Fee Estimate prior to receiving treatment. In such circumstances and where possible, Dr Dias will outline his costs and fees prior to proceeding with surgical treatment.

What does private health insurance cover?

This will vary depending on your level of health cover and the surgical procedures offered to you. If surgical treatment has been offered to you, you will be given a Surgical Fee Estimate which contains important information about the anticipated costs for your procedure. This document will have anticipated Medicare item numbers which you should refer to when contacting your health fund directly to find out the cover for your anticipated hospital stay and associated expenses such as radiology, pathology, pharmacy etc.

In addition to hospital cover, most health funds pay a small contribution towards the cost of fees for your surgeon, assistant surgeon (if required), and anaesthetist. Medicare also provides a rebate for Medicare item numbers relevant to your surgery (in most cases) but does not cover the total cost of the fees quoted by your surgeon. This means you will have a gap or “out of pocket” expense which you will have to pay yourself.

The Surgical Fee Estimate that we provide will give you a good indication of what your out of pocket expenses are likely to be, if any, for the anticipated procedure.

Please call us to discuss any questions you may have about costs and fees.

I am a current patient of Dr Dias, how can I speak with the doctor urgently?

Please call our rooms on (02) 8814 6837 during office hours to describe your concerns and the issue will be promptly referred to Dr Dias for his attention. If you are feeling unwell and it is outside office hours, you should present to your GP or nearest public hospital's emergency department and let staff know if Dr Dias has been involved in your care. They will know how to get in contact with him.

You may also choose to attend the private emergency departments at Sydney Adventist Hospital (the San) or at Norwest Private Hospital. Please note fees apply and you should make your own enquiries about this. If Dr Dias has been involved in your care, please inform staff and they will know how to get in contact with him.

What is our policy on privacy and patient confidentiality?

Our practice complies with the provisions of the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the National Privacy Principles as they relate to the collection and management of health information. Your medical record and any other medical information that we collect is kept strictly confidential and used only for your care. If you are referred for further tests, opinions and investigations it may be necessary to disclose relevant personal and health information to other health care providers for that purpose.