Our Practice is buzzing with excitement as we hit our 3 month milestone! We have welcomed new staff, allied health professionals and of course most importantly new patients.

Our first three months has seen the Practice come alive; including some changes in staff. We said goodbye to Deb, who leaves us to pursue her career in Photography. We welcome her replacement Louise, who has joined our friendly reception team with enthusiasm.

We are also fortunate to be able to welcome Marlene Lovell to our team as our Exercise Physiologist. Marlene is taking appointments for Mondays and Wednesdays. You don't have to be a patient at Seaport Practice to see Marlene. We have had some lovely feedback from patients who leave the Practice feeling motivated and ready to make some lifestyle changes.

Marlene (Exercise Physiologist) and Sandy (Dietitian) are currently working together to develop some opportunities for 'group sessions' for patients. A great way to combine healthy eating and exercise with like minded people.

We also welcome Registered Nurse Mandy Canning, as a lovely addition to our team of Practice Nurses. Mandy, Carol and Suzanne are currently running 'Flu Vaccination' clinics, so feel free to call our Reception staff to make an appointment with our nurses for your annual Fluvax.

We are excited to announce that we have a lovely Psychologist about to join our team here; Lesley Osenieks who brings with her lots of experience in various areas of mental health.

Dr Kilov has been flitting off to various parts of the country to deliver training sessions and lectures at seminars on the rapidly changing landscape of Diabetes in Australia. He is becoming well known throughout the country, even a bit of a celebrity starring on the webinars and other media.

Posted 11 May, 2012

"Experienced practitioners offering proactive health care"

The Seaport Practice came together as a collaboration between Dr Gary Kilov and Dr Maxine Manifold who decided to get together with other caring and experienced health professionals to offer a team approach to helping you look after your health.

Dr Gary Kilov
MBBCh

Dr Kilov has relocated from Melbourne responding to the allure of Tasmania after an 11-year absence, prior to which he was a general practitioner on the North-West Coast of Tasmania. Dr Kilov has an interest in chronic disease management, in particular diabetes and respiratory medicine. He has had a long-term association with the National Asthma council of Australia and is actively involved in the education of other doctors in the areas of diabetes and respiratory medicine. His interest in diabetes stems from his personal experience with type 1 diabetes.

Dr Kilov endeavours to embody his health philosophy with regular exercise, having completed his first half marathon in 2011. During his spare time, he enjoys an eclectic range of music, movies and the odd stint in the kitchen.

Dr Maxine Manifold
MBBS (Hons) Syd, DRACOG, FRACGP

Dr Manifold graduated from the University of Sydney in 1986 and has proudly called herself a "Tasmanian by choice" since 1988. Her medical practice over the years includes a long stint of delivering babies, something she decided to give up before she started delivering those babies' babies! She still enjoys providing antenatal care and women's health care in general. She is interested in the management of mental health issues particularly anxiety and is a trained provider of MiCBT, an effective mindfulness technique. A particular passion is preventative health – working with patients to help them make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of illness and encouraging them to have regular health checks. Teaching medical students from the University of Tasmania is another part of her medical work and she acts on the Medical Advisory Committee of Calvary Hospital.

Outside the office Dr Manifold loves the freedom of riding bikes for pleasure and for transport. She is a hopeless but persistent runner. She loves to grow vegetables, travel and take photos (of travel and vegetables!).

Jacqui Abraham
Practice Manager

Raised on Flinders Island Jacqueline is a proud mother or two boys. Her background is in Business Management having previously run her own transport business. Jacqui likes to promote a positive, friendly and happy workplace and practice for patients to visit. She believes it's about making people's lives a little easier, especially those who are unwell. Jacqui is excited to be a part of the team and looks forward to ensuring quality co-ordination of preventative health and proactive management of people with chronic health challenges.

Outside of work Jacqui enjoys being outdoors with her boys; Kayaking, bike riding, body surfing and taking regular walks. She also loves to cook, and has a keen interest in healthy eating.

Suzanne Marshall
Practice Nurse

Suzanne was born and raised in Burnie, moving to Launceston at 18 years of age and this is now very much her home. She is very passionate about nursing and sees herself as an organizer and as an educator with a passion for teaching and learning as well as being an advocate for her patients' wellbeing. She takes pride in helping to keep over-75s independent at home by supporting them with services and safety interventions as part of her annual home visit.

Outside work hours are very busy being mum's taxi to dancing lessons and hours of sequinning costumes. She loves travelling overseas, talking, going to the theatre, fine dining and spending quality time with her family. She hopes some day to experience working overseas, nursing in an under-privileged country.

Carol Phillips
Practice Nurse

Having left Tasmania at the age of 17, Carol returned in 1998 with her husband and family, after purchasing a farm to grow superfine wool. Carol has a very varied nursing background, and her passion is in promoting health and wellbeing in her patients. She enjoys educating her patients and providing them with the skills and knowledge to manage their own self care. Carol too has a special interest in keeping our older patents well supported and independent in their own homes, but can provide support and assistance for families caring for frail aged relatives.

Outside of work Carol enjoys spending time with her family, contributing to the farm, and loves the natural environment of the Tasmanian bush. Carol maintains her own wellbeing, through regular exercise, running with friends, and reading good books.

Sandy Murray
Dietitian

Sandy Murray has more than 20 years' experience as an Accredited Practicing Dietitian. She is currently a lecturer at the University of Tasmania and practices as a Dietitian in Launceston in the area of Diabetes and Chronic Disease Management with Diabetes Tasmania. Sandy has previously worked in many roles including the corporate nutrition, public health and health promotion.

Sandy has a strong interest in food security and the impact of climate change and peak on our future food supply. She is committed to educating her clients, students and locals community members on the benefits of eating local food and supporting Tasmanian farmers. She shares and promotes sustainable alternatives and the changes Launceston and Tamar Valley residents can make to reduce their carbon footprint.

Sandy is the Launceston facilitator of the Transition Town movement, which is a global response to climate change and peak oil. This initiative brings local people together to instigate community-led programs throughout Launceston and greater Tasmania. She is also a passionate supporter of community gardens in Tasmania and she encourages all people to grow their own fresh produce.

Sandy was also trained by former US Vice-President Al Gore in 2009 to deliver presentations on climate change.

Read more about Sandy and her services at Seaport Dietitian.

Steph Jokuszies
Podiatrist

Steph has worked as a Podiatrist for 10 years. She has worked in both Australia and the U.K in the private and public sectors.

Podiatrists are qualified health professionals specialising in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders, medical and surgical conditions of the feet and the lower limbs.

Steph's areas of interest involve diabetic foot care and assessment; paediatrics and sports injuries; and general foot care.

She believes in a holistic approach to health care and enjoys working within a multi-disciplinary team to achieve the best possible treatment outcomes for her patients.

Lesley Osenieks
Psychologist

Lesley Osenieks is a psychologist and a recent import from Victoria, who loves the Tasmanian lifestyle. Lesley is happy to treat a wide range of mental health issues including anxiety, depression and in particular she is passionate about the prevention and early identification and treatment of the eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa. She has completed studies towards a PhD in this area and is a member of the International Academy for Eating Disorders.

Currently Lesley works with clients from across the lifespan, including children and adolescents, who are seeking help for difficulties such as depression, anxiety, disordered eating, grief, living with an enduring illness, relationship issues, or simply the stresses of life. Her approach to psychological therapy is integrative, utilising a variety of therapies including motivational interviewing; mindfulness based cognitive behaviour therapy and existential approaches. Lesley is a 'greenie' who enjoys the outdoors and the arts, plus exploring Tasmania. Of note; Lesley's husband does most of the cooking!

And meet our receptionist...

Sam Nicholls

The Seaport Practice is located at 3/29 Seaport Boulevard. We are located at the northern end of the Seaport Boardwalk opposite Pepper's Hotel. Plentiful parking is available for a small fee in the car park next to us and free parking is available just over the Charles Street Bridge in Invermay.

We understand that sometimes that you visit us you may be ill but we encourage you to consider walking or cycling at least part of your journey. We provide bike racks but you will need to bring a suitable chain and lock.

We have one free disabled parking spot which we ask be used only for patients who have a disabled parking pass. There is also a free 5 minute drop off/pick up spot.

View larger map

In an emergency dial 000

The Practice opens at 8.30 am on Monday to Friday.

We close at:

• 7 pm on Monday and Wednesday
• 6 pm on Tuesday and Thursday
• 4 pm on Friday

Getting help after hours

We understand how stressful it is to need medical help after hours.

• After hours advice on Monday to Thursday nights can be obtained via GP Assist on (03) 6274 4244.
• On weekends we are pleased to have the Launceston After Hours Medical Service assist our patients.
   They are located at 50a Frankland Street, just opposite the Launceston General Hospital.
   They take appointments and can be reached on (03) 6331 4588.
• The Launceston General Hospital is located on the corner of Charles and Frankland Streets and can
   be contacted on (03) 6348 7111.

Remember: in an emergency dial 000

In an emergency dial 000

Making an appointment

Bookings can be made:

• in person at reception
• by telephone on 6333 0460
• online through our online appointment service OzDocsOnline

Please note that online booking can only be used for non-urgent appointments. You must be a registered patient of The Seaport Practice to use this service.

You can register to use online services at reception and we will arrange for OzDocsOnline to email you with a code to log in to the service.

Visiting for the first time

If you are visiting us for the first time please arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled appointment.

As a new patient, you will be asked to complete a registration form and also a medical history form that you give to the doctor or nurse that first sees you. The medical history form includes information such as your current and past medical problems, medications and allergies. Our practice nurse is available to assist you with this if required. The nurse may also check your blood pressure, height and weight. You may like to complete these at home prior to your appointment by downloading them here. If you are aware that you have had health care plans done by your previous doctor in the past 12 months please phone your previous practice or Medicare on 13 2011 and note on your medical history form the dates these plans were completed. Please make sure you book a long appointment for your first visit and that you bring your Medicare Card and any other concession cards with you. Please read about our Practice Fees here before you come and be aware that we are not a bulk-billing practice.

Appointment types

Standard appointments last for 15 minutes. If you have a number of problems to talk about or your issue is complex or regards an emotional problem we encourage you to book a long appointment. Where possible we try to address your issues efficiently in the allocated appointment time but if your problem is unexpectedly complex we may ask you to come back for another appointment. Please understand if we are unable to "squeeze in" other family members during your appointment – "squeezing in" only cuts into your appointment and keeps other patients waiting longer.

Long appointments start at 20 minutes are billed at a higher rate but attract a higher Medicare rebate.

Medical Examinations such as for employment or driving require special appointments with both the nurse and doctor so please mention this when you book. Make sure you bring any relevant paperwork and your reading glasses if you have them.

Care planning appointments also require a combined nurse-doctor appointment and please bring your care plan folder.

Procedures such as removing skin spots and inserting Implanon IUD devices require a special appointment to be booked for our Theatre. Normally these appointments will be made after seeing the doctor for a consultation.

Waiting times

We try very hard to stay on time by scheduling our appointments at realistic intervals and you can help us stay on time by asking for a long appointment if you have a complex or emotional health problem or a list of issues. Despite our best efforts sometimes emergencies or serious problems requiring our attention intervene causing us to run behind. We will endeavour to tell you when you arrive if there is any delay. If you do have to wait we hope you will enjoy our waiting room reading and information, or bring a coffee over from one of the nearby cafés.

Use your waiting time productively by logging on to our complimentary Wi-Fi internet service.

Running late?

Please try to arrive for your appointment on time as late patients mean late doctors and nurses! Please let us know if you are running late and we can advise you the best time for you to come so you can still be seen.

Cancelling appointments

If you are unable to keep your appointment please telephone us as soon as possible so that we can offer the appointment to another patient. We accept cancellations up to 2 hours before your scheduled time; after that we charge a late cancellation/non-attendance fee of $40.

Allied health professionals - appointment details

Please phone our Reception Team on 6333 0460 for an appointment or further information.

Remember: in an emergency dial 000

Every afternoon we offer a Quick Clinic for short single problems that can be managed in under 10 minutes. The Quick Clinic is suitable for problems such as a suspected urine infection, a child with a sore ear or if you need a sick certificate for work or repeat of a regular prescription (as long as you have been reviewed recently).

Sometimes a problem you thought was simple is actually more complicated and we may ask you to come back for a regular appointment.

As a patient of The Seaport Practice we offer you a wide range of General Practice services, always with an emphasis on preventing health problems and managing health challenges in a proactive way. Our services include:

Repeat prescriptions

We are happy for you to make a telephone or written request for a repeat prescription or if you are registered to do so you may request a script online here using OzDocsOnline.

A fee of $15 applies.

Sometimes it is not safe to issue a script without a consultation or it may be that you are overdue for a follow up appointment. It is the decision of the doctor whether to issue the script or to request that you make an appointment. You may also attend the Quick Clinic to be issued a script. We ask that you allow 2 working days before your script is ready. If you need it on the day, make an appointment for the Quick Clinic.

The Seaport Practice is a private billing practice. We try to keep our fees reasonable while providing a quality service. Full payment of your account is expected on the day. Payment can be made by cash, credit or debit card. We do not accept American Express cards or cheques. We can arrange for instant refund of the Medicare rebate into your bank account at the time of consultation if you bring your eftpos card with you.

Fees

Our fee for a standard appointment is $72.
The Medicare rebate is $35.60

Our fee for a longer appointment of 20 to 40 minutes is $115.
The Medicare rebate is $69.

We discount aged pensioners and children by approximately 20%. Therefore, the pensioner/child fee for a standard appointment is $58. The pensioner/child fee for a long appointment of 20 to 40 minutes is $92.

The billing for your consultation depends on how much time the consultation takes, not the time you book. If you book a long appointment and we finish in a shorter time you will be charged for a standard consultation. If you book a standard appointment and your problem is unexpectedly complex then you will be charged for a long consultation.

The Quick Clinic is available for situations where one straight-forward issue needs addressing such as an ongoing script or referral. The Quick Clinic is also ideal for children with colds, adults with simple infections such as urinary infections or people requiring a sick certificate. Quick Clinic appointments are for 10 minutes only and the fee is $52.

Repeat prescriptions
$15

Ongoing referrals
$15

Late cancellation/non-attendance fee
$40

Bulk-billed services

Many services provided by our nurses are bulk-billed. We bulk-bill the following:
• DVA gold card holders and other DVA card holders for specified conditions.
• Care planning activities for qualifying patients with chronic health problems such as diabetes, arthritis and lung disease.
   This can cover up to 4 visits per year.
• Annual health assessments for patients over 75 years of age, patients of ATSI origin and patients with intellectual
   disability.
• Nursing services such as INR monitoring, ECGs, lung testing and immunisation.

Non-Medicare costs

Some services, fees and items do not attract a Medicare rebate. We will make every effort to advise you of extra costs. Examples include:

Theatre fees
An out of pocket cost of between $25 and $45 dollars applies to procedures performed in our theatre.

Dressings
Some dressings are very costly – up to $20 for one dressing. We do not charge for simple wound dressings and dressings for procedures and lacerations are included in the theatre fee. We will inform you if you need an expensive dressing and you will be charged what the dressing costs us, which is considerably cheaper than the cost at the pharmacy. DVA patients can get these dressings on prescription.

Referred services
Remember that the doctor may refer you for pathology or radiology examination or to a medical specialist. Please be aware that these providers' fees may incur out of pocket costs and feel free to contact them directly for information about their fees.

Medical examination
Some medical examinations do not attract a Medicare rebate such as:

• Commercial driving medicals (other driving medicals do get a rebate).
• Diving medicals.
• Some pre-employment medicals.
• Insurance medicals.
• Consultations regarding workers compensation and MAIB matters. You are responsible for these fees if your claim is
   rejected, but a Medicare rebate applies in this case and you cover the gap.

Medicare changes to mental health

On 1st November 2011 the Federal Government reduced YOUR rebate for mental health planning consultations by 47 percent. In the past we bulk-billed most of these visits but with the recent changes we are unable to accept the what the Medicare rebates you as full payment for this service.

Fees for mental health services are:

Mental health plan (required for funded visits to psychologists etc.)
$163.35 (this is the previous Medicare rebate which has now been reduced to $85.92).

Mental health general consultation or review
$115 (the same as a 20 minute consultation – Medicare rebate $67.65)

Focussed psychological strategy visits (for visits with Doctor Manifold for specific therapies as agreed as part of a mental health plan)
$128.50 for a visit from 30-40 minutes (rebate $87.50)
$180 for a visit over 40 minutes (rebate $125.20)

Mental health attention can be sought at no cost through:

• the Mental Health Service Helpline on 1800 332 388
• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• Headspace Northern Tasmania on 6335 3100

Important information to help you manage health costs

Medicare Safety Net program
At The Seaport Practice we want to help you reduce your medical expenses as much as is possible, without compromising the quality of care that we provide. With that in mind we encourage all our patients to ensure that Medicare has full and accurate details of you and your family and that you are all registered for the Safety Net program. Safety Net program details are available from the Medicare website. The Safety Net system covers doctors visits and other services such as pathology and radiology.

The current threshold for concession card holders is $578.60 for concession card holders and families eligible for Family Tax Benefit A. This threshold applies for a family, not an individual. It is important however that Medicare have you registered as a family for the purposes of the safety net. Once the safety net level has been reached Medicare will rebate the normal fee + 80% of the out of pocket expenses.

Note: This information is correct as at 1st November 2011 but is subject to change depending on Government policy. It is intended as a guide. Please check the Medicare website for accurate details at any particular time.

All new referrals require an appointment. If you are requesting a referral to an allied health worker such as a podiatrist under the special Medicare arrangements you need to be aware that you must qualify for, and have in place, a Care Plan and a Team Care arrangement. You will need to discuss this with your doctor or one of the nurses before making your appointment. If you wish to be referred to a Psychologist, Mental Health Social Worker or Mental Health OT under the Better Access to Mental Health programme you must make a long appointment with the doctor to see if you are eligible under this scheme and to develop a Mental Health Plan.

Ongoing referrals may be requested at a Quick Clinic appointment if that is all that is required. However, if the problem is more complex or may require more time, please ensure that you make a standard or long appointment.

All ongoing mental health referrals require a long appointment - this is a Medicare requirement.

It is not always necessary to make a follow-up appointment for your results. The doctors review all investigation results and under certain circumstances may wish to see you to discuss these further. Please advise the staff of your preferred method of contact. We can contact you via email, SMS, telephone or mail.

We are happy to speak to our patients on the telephone but in many cases a face to face encounter is better and safer. If possible make an appointment to see the doctor. If you need to speak to us it is often necessary to take your details and call you back so as not to interrupt consultations.

Please give us an idea of the urgency of your matter when you phone and remember to have your mobile on you or otherwise remain contactable if you ask us to call you back.

The internet is a wonderful resource with lots of information to help you get and stay healthy. Here are some links to web-based health tools which can help you assess your risk of health problems. Other tools are great resources for helping you get your health on track and we include some of them too.

Make sure if you score high on a health risk tool that you make an appointment to see us!

We recommend these links for reliable health information:

Active Launceston	Australian Centre of Excellence in Male Reproductive Health
Arthritis Tasmania	Asthma Foundation
Australian Lung Foundation	Beyond Blue
Black Dog Institute	Cancer Council
Carers Australia	Coeliac Society Tasmania
Diabetes Australia	Family Planning Tasmania
Heart Foundation	Jean Hailes For Women's Health
National Asthma Council Australia	Reach Out

Confidentiality

We treat your health information with the strictest confidentiality. Your records are stored securely and we share your information only with those other health professionals whom you have agreed to be involved in your care.

Contact details

It is very important that we have up to date information about how to contact you – we may need to contact you in an emergency about an abnormal result or to assist an unwell family member. You will notice that each time you make an appointment we ask you to confirm your phone number and when we arrive we check your address. It isn't because we are forgetful; we simply know that people change their details often and sometimes forget to tell us! Please tell us if there is any change to whom you regard as your next of kin in case we need to contact someone to assist you in a crisis.

We want to hear from you! If you want to pay us a compliment let us know you are happy which encourages up to keep up the good work. If you wish to make a complaint we are just as keen to hear from you. Please phone or write to us and we will arrange for our Practice Manager to meet you face to face so we can work out the best way to resolve the problem. We need your feedback so we can act on any problems to improve our practice.

In the event that you feel unable to resolve your problem directly with us you can contact the Health Complaints Commissioner on 1800 001 170.