MORE INFORMATION
Frequently Asked Questions
We have answered the most commonly asked questions about our clinic. If you have further questions that have not been addressed, please feel free to call us on 1300 791 870 or email [email protected]
MORE INFORMATION
Frequently Asked Questions
We have answered the most commonly asked questions about our clinic. If you have further questions that have not been addressed, please feel free to call us on 1300 791 870 or email [email protected]
You do not need a referral to book an appointment for Hand Therapy as a private client.
You do need a referral if you are:
- Funded under Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA)
- On a Chronic Disease Management Plan (see below for additional information)
- Claiming through an independent insurance body other than your private health (e.g. Workcover or other third party insurers). For Workcover Qld, your current Work Capacity Certificate needs to include referral to “Hand Therapy” in Part C. Please see example below:
You do not need to use a specific referral form, however a link to our referral template can be found here if you would like to use this one. Alternatively, your medical practitioner can write us a general referral. All referral forms are accepted.
As a GP, Surgeon, or Specialist, you understand the importance of effective treatment for hand, wrist, and arm injuries and conditions. Your patients rely on your recommendations to find the best care for their needs. Perhaps you’ve seen patients struggle with persistent pain, limited mobility, or ineffective treatments that don’t address their issues.
At Evergreen Hand Therapy, we provide comprehensive, patient-centred care with an experienced and Accredited Hand Therapist (Physiotherapist) with a PhD in finger fracture management. We manage all types of hand injuries and conditions including stable fractures, arthritic joints, de Quervains tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndromes, and finger injuries like mallet finger or PIP joint dislocation.
We specialise in thermoplastic splinting, waterproof casting, manual therapies, exercise prescription, sensory re-education and post-operative graded rehabilitation.
You want the best outcomes for your patients, and so do we. If you’d like to refer to Evergreen Hand Therapy you can do this directly via Medical Objects, and we can also be found on the Healthshare directory.
Alternatively, you can download a copy of our referral form (below) or send through a referral by email: [email protected]).
We accept Workcover, EPC, and DVA clients.
If you would like to speak to our Hand Therapist about a patient, the conditions we treat, services we can provide or to phone through a referral, please contact us on 1300 791 870.
The initial appointment usually takes about 45 minutes, depending on the nature of your symptoms. A detailed history is taken first, and then clinical tests are conducted and any imaging is reviewed. This allows the Hand Therapist to diagnose the likely cause of the problem and create a treatment plan. You are then educated about management and the anticipated recovery process, and treatment begins on the first visit.
Additional items (i.e. splints, casts, dressings etc.) are not included in the consult fee. Your therapist will discuss any additional costs involved if these items are recommended to manage your condition.
Every person is different. The number of sessions required depends on the cause of the symptoms and how you respond to treatment. The Hand Therapist will inform you of the expected number of sessions required and their recommended frequency during your first consultation. This may change according to how you respond to treatment. Follow-up review appointments are also 45 minutes.
Many hand, wrist and arm conditions only require a small number of treatment sessions, and can then be self-managed with education, a properly-fitting splint and a maintenance exercise program.
Following a hand operation for a traumatic injury (i.e. tendon repair) typical treatment frequency is weekly for the first six weeks after surgery, then every second week until twelve weeks after surgery, although this varies depending on individual circumstances. Your treatment plan will be tailored to your specific needs.
Before your appointment, if you have any relevant documentation or imaging helpful for the Hand Therapist please send through to us via email (to [email protected]) including:
- Your referral if you have been given one (See above: Do I need a referral?)
- All relevant X-rays or CT’s, ultrasounds or MRI reports
- Emergency Department discharge notes or operation report
- Insurance claim details, as appropriate (i.e. Workers Compensation: Workers Compensation Insurance claim number; current work capacity certificate and approval from the insurance provider or DVA: DVA claim number and D904/referral).
This will allow the Administration team and Hand Therapist to prepare for your appointment and enable easier claiming/billing processes on the day.
In addition to those items provided beforehand (see above), on the day of your appointment please also bring:
- Your Medicare card and EFTPOS card to process any rebates
- Your private health fund card (private patients)
- Any previous splint and/or exercises
For Private Patients:
We have HICAPs facilities and can process a private health insurance claim for those with Extras cover. There is likely to be a gap payment. The gap amount is dependent on your insurer and your level of extras cover. You can check the gap amount with your insurer. The initial consultation item code is 500, and the follow-up consultation code is 505.
Credit Card or EFTPOS payments are welcome.
Please note: Splints and rehabilitation equipment cannot be claimed through the HICAPS terminal and will need to be claimed through your health fund directly.
For Workers Compensation or Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) Patients:
Patients covered under these schemes will have no out of pocket expenses on the day of treatment as long as you have provided all of the relevant details beforehand. We will bill the insurer/provider directly. You will accept full liability for Workers Compensation or DVA claims that are rejected.
Generally, treatment is not claimable with Medicare. We are not a bulk-billing practice. However, if your GP has provided you with a referral and a Chronic Disease Management Plan dated before your appointment, you can claim a rebate from Medicare. Your GP decides whether you are eligible for this, and for how many sessions (up to 5 per calendar year).
Yes, Chronic Disease Management (previously known as Enhanced Primary Care) plans are accepted – your GP provides this if they decide it is appropriate for you. Please note that we do not bulk bill and the Medicare rebate does not cover the full cost of your consultation or any splints/equipment provided so the total amount needs to be paid at the time of your appointment. The standard EPC rebate from Medicare is up to $60.35.
Our HICAPs facility allows the processing of Medicare CDM claims if you have a Medicare card, your GP referral/plan and a debit card. The refund can be made into the account attached to your debit card (Medicare will not rebate to a credit card).
If you do not have a Medicare card, the GP referral/plan, and a debit card, a receipt can be emailed to you, which you claim online through Medicare or claim in person at Medicare. You cannot claim through both private health and Medicare EPC.
At Evergreen Hand Therapy we offer a 10% discount off consultation fees and consumables to clients on an aged or disability pension. We also accept clients on a Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDM), also known as an Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plan. For further details, please see above.
Please call 1300 791 870 to notify the practice if you need to cancel your appointment.
Cancellation fees may apply if less than 24-hour notice is given.
“Hand therapy is the art and science of rehabilitation or the upper limb, which includes the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder girdle. It is a merging of occupational and physiotherapy theory and practice that combines comprehensive knowledge of the structure of the upper limb with function and activity. Using specialised skills in assessment, planning and treatment, hand therapists provide therapeutic interventions to prevent dysfunction, restore function and/or reverse the progression of pathology of the upper limb in order to enhance an individual’s ability to execute tasks and to participate fully in life situations”
Hand Therapy Certification Commission, 2009
Accredited Hand Therapists (AHT’s) (as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association) are either Physiotherapists or Occupational Therapists who have undertaken significant additional training in the field of Hand and Upper Limb Rehabilitation. There are only about 400 Accredited Hand Therapists in Australia.
“Accredited Hand Therapists are world-class experts in hand and upper limb rehabilitation and can treat you for optimal recovery.”
Australian Hand Therapy Association, 2024
There is free visitor parking in the basement carpark of the WOTSO building. From the carpark, take the lift up to the ground level, walk through Fresh Coffee Bar, and turn left to the Wellshare Health Space to access the waiting area for Evergreen Hand Therapy. Street parking is also available. Please ensure you arrive with plenty of time prior to your appointment.