Communication and contact policies:
Email is our preferred way of communicating
Email is used as the primary means of communication by Prosper Paediatrics with families and patients. We use phone calls and SMS as adjuncts to email.
Communication by email helps us manage the extra complexity of specialist paediatric healthcare provision, billing and Medicare. It also helps our team reduce errors and manage inquiries and bookings effectively. Our patient families benefit from clearer, more reliable information and from increased efficiency that helps minimise increases in the costs of services.
Prosper Paediatrics and the associated providers use patients' email addresses for necessary contact, providing information, and communicating about bookings, accounts and clinical matters. Patient emails will not be used for marketing purposes and are stored securely and kept confidential. Email is not a completely secure form of communication and PAB staff will endeavour to limit private and clinical information to protect your privacy. See our privacy policy for more information.
By requesting information, appointments and health care services with associated providers, parents, guardians and carers will indicate their agreement-
to remain readily contactable by Prosper Paediatrics and their health care provider at all times.
Promptly advise any changes to contact details.
Our use of email as a primary means of communication about booking, accounts and other administrative matters regarding their child's care.
To carefully read any emails we send to review and check details, requirements, and changes.
Our use of SMS alerts to the mobile phone numbers families provide about needed intake information, urgent emails, accounts, attempted phone contact and upcoming appointments.
to cancel an appointment by phone or email
SMS messages do not form part of the clinical record, may be delayed, are not suitable for any communication about clinical matters, and are not always noticed by receptionists.
To their health care provider’s use of email to provide letters, handouts, referrals, uncomplicated test results, request forms, and brief, uncomplicated advice.
To their provider’s use of eScripts wherever possible rather than paper scripts.
To otherwise refrain from seeking any other medical consultation via email or phone call but to conduct consultations within booked appointments.
To interact and communicate with us according to Worksafe requirements and our Respect and Trust Policy.
Measures to protect privacy
Your health care provider and Prosper Paediatrics minimise the inclusion of sensitive or identification content, where possible when sending emails and SMS and uses procedures and systems to minimise emailing errors.
Emailed documents or other clinical information are filed in your child’s health record in the practice management software.
Paper documents are scanned, linked to their child’s file, and then shredded.
A medical consultation is a private space where sensitive matters can be discussed and noted directly in their child’s file.
We recommend that families minimise the inclusion of sensitive information in their emails to their providers.
See your Provider’s Privacy Policy for more information.
Requests, questions, messages
for your provider
- how we manage these:
Prosper Paediatrics is not an urgent care responder and does not triage.
Requests and concerns are promptly filed and notified to providers within the practice software system for security and consistency.
Reception services
Are offered only within business hours, but not on public holidays, and during the days from Christmas to the end of New Year Public Holidays.
Our reception phones, emails and other incoming correspondence are attended between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on business days.
The Reception Desk at our Toorak Gardens site is normally open on business days; other sites may be closed on some days.
Associated practitioners typically offer their clinics (half or full days) between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm on one or several days a week or a month.
Appointments are provided for clinical consultation and must be booked in advance
Sending Documents and Reports: Please ensure any multi-page documents are provided as one file. We are unable to attach a document to your child's file if it has been provided as multiple single-page document scans/ files.
Your paediatric specialist doctor is not an urgent care responder.
Associated doctors have different practice styles and vary in the time taken to respond to consultation, forms and prescription requests. Most are part-time, and they all balance their private practice responsibilities with other professional and private responsibilities. Most generally undertake to check and respond to requests, etc, at least once a week. Some check more often. Your doctor will prioritise more urgent requests and may delay their response to non-urgent matters. They may check less frequently or ask colleagues to provide locum cover when on leave.
In all aspects of their practice, they will act in a timely way in accordance with their professional judgement and standards. The associated practitioners are very generous with their time and conscientious about the care they provide. We ask that families keep in mind their Provider’s heavy workloads and professional responsibilities and commitments.
Your specialist is not employed or directed by but practices independently with the services and administrative support of Prosper Paediatrics.
As a private practitioner, your Provider consults in booked appointments.
Consultation about clinical matters should be conducted in a planned appointment, including results, script renewals, most “quick questions, " medication questions, or whenever a medical opinion or assistance is sought.
However, your provider should advise you if they are happy to offer a script, brief uncomplicated advice or feedback using email or a booked or pre-arranged phone call at a suitable time (e.g. after the report has been sent to them, or a couple of weeks before a script is due to expire).
The practice software alerts your provider to incoming tasks, results and correspondence.
Your provider will check incoming reports and tasks regularly. Families do not need to ask the reception team to remind them as they are alerted when they log in to the practice software.
Your GP remains your primary care provider, is informed about your specialist's management, and may be able to provide needed assistance more quickly.
Health care options for pressing concerns or outside business days and Christmas-New Year:
CAFHS-Child and Family Health Service (especially babies and young children)
GP- your family GP or GPs or other local GP clinics or urgent care clinics.
Hospital Midwives-for newborns
CAVUCS (Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service for children from 6 months of age up to 18 years with non-life-threatening conditions)-ph-(08) 8161 7000 to organise a Video Appointment between 9 am-9 pm, 7 days a week, including public holidays.
Paediatric Emergency Department- for urgent or overnight concerns, your baby or child should attend your nearest Paediatric Emergency Department at the Women's and Children's, Flinders and Lyell McEwin Hospitals. For an Ambulance, dial 000.
For urgent concerns, your child should attend your nearest Paediatric Emergency Services.
Test and Scan Results
Your provider usually asks that results be copied to your GP and other subspecialists who will need to know.
The pathologist, radiologist, geneticist or other doctor conducting the test or scan assesses the results and reports these to your paediatrician and GP in writing via electronic messaging.
Urgent or Serious Results:
The Pathologist or other subspecialist will take extra steps to alert your paediatric specialist provider, usually by phone, if there are very urgent or serious findings.
If your paediatric provider believes that a result necessitates an urgent change of management, they will arrange to meet with you in an appointment as soon as possible to discuss the finding, perhaps request further tests or referrals, or make changes to medications and other management.
Non-urgent or less serious results.
Other results and scans may require either no change of management or a non-urgent change. Your provider may be happy to discuss these when you next meet or may organise an appointment or email the results.