We’re here to make your outpatient appointment as simple and stress-free as possible. Here’s what to expect and how you can prepare.
Types of appointments
Your appointment may be:
- face-to-face (in person)
- telehealth (video call)
- phone
We aim to provide care that works for you. If the way your appointment is set up doesn’t feel right, let us know and we’ll do what we can to help.
For telehealth or phone appointments,cplease find a quiet place to talk with your doctor. For your safety, please do not drive during your phone appointment.
Face-to-face (in person)
A face-to-face appointment means coming to the Women’s to have your appointment in person.
Getting to your in-person appointment
- The hospital is at the corner of Grattan Street and Flemington Road, Parkville.
- Please allow extra time for travel and parking before your appointment.
- You can find information about public transport, parking, and access on our Transport and parking webpage.
- Our Hospital map is also available to help you plan your visit.
Telehealth (video call)
Telehealth is a video call on your phone or other device.
There are two ways to join your telehealth appointment. Your appointment letter will tell you which one to use.
1. Joining from a text message from your clinician
- Near the time of your appointment, you’ll get a text message with a link.
- Click the link to start your telehealth call.
- Your clinician may be running late – they’ll send a text when they’re ready to see you. Thanks for your patience.
2. Joining from one of the virtual waiting rooms
- Check your appointment letter to find the name of your clinic.
- Go to the virtual waiting room list and click on the clinic mentioned in your letter.
- Join the waiting room 5 minutes before your appointment time.
- Your clinician may be running late – they’ll join you as soon as they can. Thanks for your patience.
Before your appointment, please visit our Telehealth webpage. Here, you can test your connection and learn more about how it works.
Phone
Some consultations are by phone. You don’t need to come to the hospital.
Your clinician will call you on the number you’ve given us. The call may come from a private number or show as ‘No caller ID’.
How to change or cancel your appointment
Please let us know as soon as possible if you can’t attend as we can offer your appointment to another patient.
If you’re feeling unwell or can’t attend, please call us on (03) 8345 3032 or email appointments@thewomens.org.au. We can help you change your appointment or arrange your care in another way – such as by telehealth or phone.
If you miss two appointments without telling us, you’ll need a new referral before you can book again.
Stay up to date with Health Hub
Before your first appointment, we encourage you to sign up to Health Hub. This is our secure online app where you can see your latest appointment details.
Through Health Hub you can also:
- view your test results and health summary
- update your personal information
- review visit notes and outpatient summaries
- let your healthcare team know if you have a disability or support needs.
Interpreters
We provide trained interpreters to help you communicate with your healthcare team.
To book an interpreter, please call us at least one week before your visit on (03) 8345 3054.
If an interpreter hasn’t been arranged, we’ll organise one for you.
Learn more about our Interpreter Services.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women
Please let us know if you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Our Badjurr-Bulok Wilam team can provide culturally safe care, for you and your family.
FAQs
- You’ll meet with one or more health professionals – this may include a doctor, nurse, midwife or allied health clinician.
- They’ll talk with you about your health and may arrange tests or treatment.
- You can eat or drink before your appointment unless we tell you otherwise.
- You can find more details about your clinic on our Clinics and Services webpage.
If you have a valid Medicare card, your appointment will be covered by Medicare. This means you won’t have any out-of-pocket costs.
If you don’t have a Medicare card, you’ll need to organise payment with Payment Accounts before your visit. See our Patient fees & billing page for more information, including a guide to costs.
Bring:
- your Medicare card and any other concession cards
- a list of your current medicines
- any test results or scans
- your GP’s name, address and phone number
- a support person (family or friend) if you’d like someone with you
Write down any questions you want to ask your clinician.
Please let us know if:
- you have a disability
- you need an interpreter or cultural support
- you need help with accessibility.
Visit our Disability Support page to learn how we can help.
Yes! Having your period doesn’t affect your appointment and it’s important that you still attend.
We understand some patients may prefer a doctor of a particular gender. We’ll do our best to accommodate your preference, but it may depend on staff availability. Please tell us ahead of time and we’ll do our best to help.
Please arrange childcare if you can. If you need to bring your children, another adult must be able to look after them during your appointment. For some procedures, we can’t go ahead if there’s no one to supervise your children.
Your clinician will explain the next steps in your care and tell you if you need a follow-up visit.
We’ll share relevant information with your GP and other health professionals involved in your care.
If you feel anxious waiting for your appointment, you can bring aids to help you be more comfortable. These might include:
- headphones
- a book or quiet activity
- a toy or sensory object
We want every patient to receive the best possible care. We welcome your feedback — whether it’s a compliment, suggestion or concern. Your feedback helps us understand what’s working well and where we can improve.
You can contact the Women’s Consumer Liaison to discuss any feedback or concerns:
P: (03) 8345 2290 or (03) 8345 2291
E: consumer.liaison@thewomens.org.au