Question 1

Are you a hand surgeon, an orthopaedic surgeon or what?

Accepted Answer

I am an orthopaedic surgeon who has a special interest in wrists, hips and knees.

Question 2

That's a strange combination, wrists, hips and knees!?

Accepted Answer

Indeed. Tell me about it. Most people said it couldn't be done. I showed them!

Question 3

Are you even any good?

Accepted Answer

Cooking? No. Surgery? Not bad.
 
As orthopaedic surgeons we have all had at least 5 years of rigourous specialist training, not to mention the years of preparation prior and subsequent to our formal training.
 
So most of us are indeed very good at what we do.

Question 4

Do I need private insurance?

Accepted Answer

No, I'll be happy to see you if you don't have private insurance, but if surgery is needed, I'd have to refer you to a public hospital. I have appointments at Eastern Health and at St Vincent's, so do operate publicly.

Just to note though, if you need surgery in a public hospital, I will still have to see you there before I place you on a waiting list for surgery. I have no control as to how quickly you will get your operation. I cannot place you directly onto the public waiting list from my rooms.

Your GP can directly refer you to a public hospital as well.

Please don't assume you will get surgery much quicker by seeing me in my rooms as opposed to being directly referred to a public hospital by your GP.

Question 5

What are your fees like?

Accepted Answer

I believe in being transparent regarding my fees:
 
For your consultation, my fees are:
-$280 for a new patient (30 minutes)
-$140 for a review appointment (15 minutes)
-The post-operative check-up in free
On average you'll require 2 visits: the first to be seen and assessed, and further investigations organized, the second to discuss the results of the investigations and have a chat about management. But I do attempt to minimize the number of visits as much as possible.
 
For surgery, with most insurance companies my out-of-pocket fee is $500.

Often the anaesthetist charges a gap of $150-$600 and the surgical assistant charges a gap of $100.

Depending on the operation required, there is usually some physio or hand therapy required afterwards, and this tends to be an added cost, depending on your health insurance.

For DVA, TAC or WorkCover patients there is usually no out of pocket costs either for the consultation, physiotherapy or the surgery.
 
There may be added costs if your insurance company is NIB or Qantas, as these insurance companies re-imburse far below market rates. We will let you know well in advance if this is to be the case.

If you are with Medibank or Bupa,  then you may be able to have your operation performed with no out of pocket fees at certain hospitals.

For those with international insurance (such as Bupa or Medibank International), you are required to pay all fees upfront and then seek reimbursement from your insurer. This is due to the delayed nature of payment by international insurers. Also, please note that the gap with these insurers is often higher than expected, as they often re-imburse well below market rates. You are encouraged to check with your insurance company what the gap is likely to be.

For big operations, like joint replacement surgery, you will also require a physician to look after your medical conditions whilst in hospital (this will be arranged by us) and you will often need a set of blood tests before your operation.

I do operate on self-funded patients and can provide a quote as costs vary considerably depending on operation and prosthesis requirements.

Question 6

What should I bring to my consult?

Accepted Answer

Please bring your referral and x-rays. If you do not speak english well, a person who can translate would also be beneficial.
 
To get the best value out of your consult, please ensure you send in your referral prior to attending, as that will give me the opportunity to find and assess your x-rays online prior to your appointment.

Please wear clothes that will easily allow examination of your affected limb.

Question 7

You have a foreign sounding name! Will I even be able to understand you?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I promise. I was raised and trained in Australia. I do talk fast, but it's all in english.

Question 8

What hospitals do you operate out of?

Accepted Answer

I operate predominantly at Epworth Eastern (Box Hill), Adeney Private (Kew) and Ramsay Surgical Centre (Glenferrie), but am also accredited to operate at Epworth Freemasons (East Melbourne).

I operate publicly at St Vincent's Hospital and Box Hill Hospital.

Question 9

You make a lot of jokes! Will you take my health concerns seriously?

Accepted Answer

Yes, of course! I do make a few jokes here and there, but only because I think a bit of humour is necessary in life and is indeed the best medicine....unless you're diabetic...then insulin! Insulin is the best medicine.

Question 10

I am worried you'll try and talk me into an operation I don't need so you can buy a fancy car!

Accepted Answer

My goal is only to provide you with unbiased information and options. I only recommend surgery if I think it will benefit you. Like my recommendations for surgery, my choice in automobile tends to be safe, sensible and affordable.

Question 11

Do you only use genuine parts when you operate?

Accepted Answer

Although ideal when servicing your car or vacuum cleaner, using genuine human parts in surgery is generally frowned upon.
 
You can however be reassured that I only use artifical parts which have been tried and tested and have a strong track record of reliability and safety. I have no conflict-of-interest regarding the prostheses I use.

Question 12

Why doesn't your name come up when I search for "best orthopaedic surgeon Melbourne?""

Accepted Answer

Unfortunately, unlike some surgeons who were smart enough to invest in google optimisation and advertising, I took a punt that Ask Jeeves would become a hit again and invested all my advertising budget on them. I am sure it'll pay off any day now...

Question 13

Why don't you have lots of 5-star Google reviews like some other surgeons?

Accepted Answer

Google reviews are totally spontaneous and surgeons definitely don't cherry-pick who they ask to leave a review. That's why I am sure you've Google reviewed all the other doctors you've seen in the past. 
 
Asking patients to leave google reviews raises a number of ethical considerations. It is against a doctor's code of conduct to advertise testimonials, but some doctor's get around this by asking for Google reviews, which appear to be spontaneous.

If you find a surgeon with lots of 5-star reviews, look at the number of reviews each reviewer has posted in the past. If it's just one or a handful, then it is likely that the review has been solicited and not spontaneous. Now go look at your favourite restaurant's google reviews and note how many reviews have been posted by those reviewer in the past. You'll find this number is much higher, indicating their spontaneity.

Although I do appreciate feedback and word-of-mouth referrals, I think this is best done privately and directly rather than asking patients to leave online reviews.

Question 14

I am after some quality caviar but cant find any on your site?

Accepted Answer

You may have confused "sturgeon" with "surgeon". Common mistake. Much more detrimental if made the other way.

Question 15

Why don't you have a more "flattering" picture of yourself on your website?"

Accepted Answer

I tried. Fortunately my photogenecity is not proportional to my surgical skills.

Question 16

Do you have any celebrity endorsements?

Accepted Answer

Just this cat:*

*cat may not be a celebrity nor be endorsing me.

Frequently asked questions