Orthotics Department - Information for Health Professionals

Services provided

Assessment for and provision of orthoses (previously known as braces, callipers or surgical appliances).

Refer your patient

A medical specialist referral is preferred due to the complexity of some medical conditions associated with physical disability or functional loss.

A General Practitioner referral may be made directly at some cost to the client.

If referring directly to us then please include the following:

• Your address and contact details
• Patient name, DOB, address and contact details
• Diagnosis
• Reason for referral and brief relevant medical history
• Summary of functional loss
• Treatment objectives for this referral.

Payments 

Patients are not charged if eligible for Medicare and have a current referral (no older than 12 months) from one of the following services which provide the funding for the orthoses:

• Prince of Wales Hospital Inpatient or Outpatient services
• POWH Community Health Team
• Sydney Children’s Hospital

Patients will be charged for orthoses if one of the following applies:

• Medicare ineligible (eg non-residents of Australia who are not covered by a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement).
• Referred directly to Orthotics by a General Practitioner, Medical Specialist referring from private rooms or from other hospitals.
• Declared to have compensable status under Motor Vehicle Accident, Work Cover or other third party insurance.

Orthoses are not covered by Medicare.  Some private health insurance funds offer limited cover.  Some patients may be entitled to government funding.