Frequently Asked Questions

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Yes. To be eligible for a Medicare rebate, a referral is required for your consultation. Once your GP has submitted the referral (usually electronically), you will receive an SMS confirming that it has been received and reviewed by our doctor. At that point, you will be able to schedule your appointment. This process typically takes about 3 business days from the time the referral is received by Caloundra Gastroenterology. 

To schedule an appointment, please call Specialists on Fourth | Caloundra Gastroenterology at 07 5499 7366. Please have your Medicare card and private health insurance information ready when you book your appointment. 

As gastroenterology appointments can require specific considerations, we are currently unable to offer online bookings. 

Each referral is carefully triaged based on priority, which may result in a waitlist of 3-6 weeks for procedures or appointments(some extensions apply with the interruption of public holidays and staff leave). Our team will offer you the next available appointment according to the triage level assigned to your referral. We understand that wait times can be frustrating, and we appreciate your patience and respect as we strive to provide the best possible appointment times for every patient. Additionally, we maintain a cancellation list for last-minute availability, so you may be contacted if an earlier spot opens up.

Specialists on Fourth Caloundra Gastroenterology accepts most major insurance plans including some travel insurance policies. Most Health Insurance policies cover the cost of procedures, however, in-patient clinic appointments are privately billed. 

Dr Samidurai is an agreed no GAP doctor. Please contact us to verify that we accept your particular insurance plan. 

Yes, health insurance is not always required. Some patients choose to pay for private healthcare. All in-patient clinic appointments are billed privately. For procedures, there are three fees to consider: the Doctors fee, the Anaesthetist's fee, and the hospital fee. A $200 deposit is required upfront in order to secure your booking for the procedure. For more details about these privately paying fees for uninsured patients, please contact our clinic directly. 

We operate as a private billing practice. Our patients are charged for their consultations, with most of the cost eligible for reimbursement through Medicare. Our fees are structured within the guidelines of the Australian Medical Association (AMA). For more details about fees specific to your appointment, please contact our clinic directly.

We have a patient resource page with information regarding colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures. If you would prefer further reading we suggest reading some resources on the Gastroenterological Society of Australia website.

Once your colonoscopy appointment is scheduled, you will also be offered a consultation with our practice nurse, who will guide you through the instructions for taking the bowel preparation. Further information about the procedure can be found here.

For our patients convenience, the required colonoscopy preparation solution is compiled into a  custom bowel preparation kit. Our $40 colonoscopy bowel preparation kits include a consultation with our practice nurse, personalised instructions, and all the necessary resources to help ensure you have a smooth and successful procedure.

Our experienced medical administration team will provide you with all the information you need to know prior to your procedure.  Further information about the procedure can be found here.

The procedures are performed at the recently refurbished Caloundra Private Day Hospital, Ramsay Health. All procedures are a day procedure, as there are no hospital admissions for gastroenterology patients at this hospital. Caloundra Private Day Hospital is located at 96 Beerburrum St, Battery Hill, Queensland.