Please find a list of FAQ’s below to help you through your journey with us. If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Please find a list of FAQ’s below to help you through your journey with us. If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Please remember to obtain and bring the following to your appointments:
Please note the relevant forms will also be emailed or posted to you.
As this is a private medical practice, there is a consultation fee that will be payable on the day. Some of this fee will be covered by Medicare. At the time you making your appointment, the consultation fee will be discussed.
Private health insurance does not cover your appointment fees with your surgeon, though you will receive a Medicare refund.
You may be covered by your insurer for your surgical procedure. If you and your surgeon have decided surgery is the best option for you, an estimate of medical fees with a detailed list of item numbers will be provided to you. It is important you contact your private health insurer to make sure you are covered for the surgery you need and what sort of a refund you can expect from the item numbers you have been quoted.
Typically, new patient appointments can be made within 2-3 weeks. If, upon review of your referral, your surgeon feels that you need to be seen sooner, we can usually accommodate urgent referrals.
The main difference between an orthopaedic spinal surgeon and neurosurgeon is that an orthopaedic spinal surgeon tends to specialise in paediatric and adult scoliosis and other spinal deformities, whereas neurosurgeons specialise in treating conditions affecting the spinal canal including spinal cord tumours, Chiari malformation and spina bifida.
Both specialists are adept at performing cervical, thoracic, and lumbar surgery, including spinal cord and nerve decompression, spinal fusion, microsurgery and minimally-invasive spine surgery.
BrizBrain & Spine choose to use the Australian Medical Association schedule of fees as a guideline for billing. Our practice provides informed financial consent before your operation. If you are in a health fund, you may be covered for your surgery. Hospital cover does not include Doctor Cover, which is why there is a gap or fees charged by our practice. Please refer to your private insurance policy for further information.
This will depend on the procedure. Generally, it is advised not to drive for at least two weeks after spinal surgery, or longer depending on the procedure. Driving after brain surgery needs to be discussed with your treating surgeon.
Your specific medical condition will determine when you can fly. Most airlines will require a signed medical clearance from your treating specialist before you are able to board a flight. These forms can be obtained from your airline. Some links to the most common airlines are below for your convenience:
Virgin Australia medical clearance information
This is dependent on the type of surgery you have had. Clearance is usually given at your post op appointment, which scheduled for 4 – 6 weeks after surgery.
Patient and staff safety is our highest priority at Briz Brain & Spine.
For patients with appointments, if you are suffering any symptoms such as fever, dry cough, sore throat, tiredness or shortness of breath or have recently travelled or been in contact with someone who has returned from overseas, please contact our friendly reception team before attending the clinic. A telehealth appointment may be an alternative method of speaking with our surgeons.
Protecting the health of our staff is vital to ensure they can continue to provide great service. Patients are encouraged to prepay accounts over the phone prior to appointments or via payWave or other contactless payment methods. Patients are also asked to complete the Patient Details Form and sign the Privacy Policy Agreement electronically prior to their appointment. These forms can be found under our Contacts page on the website or by clicking here. Please note, patients are asked to bring only ONE support person to their appointment and maintain appropriate social distances to help reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. We are also temporarily reducing our general enquiries phone hours with calls being answered between 9am and 4pm.
During this current outbreak of Covid-19 coronavirus we want to assure all of our patients that we will continue to implement procedures to maintain a hygienic clinical environment. This includes:
- Disinfecting and wiping down all treatment surfaces
- Regular cleaning of rooms and shared equipment
- Thorough cleaning of all communal items including reception chairs, tables, door handles, pens and other shared items
- All staff have access to infection control procedures and training to implement these as necessary
We are carefully monitoring the directions and advice of Queensland Health, the Australian Government Department of Health and the World Health Organization. In the meantime, it is still business as usual and our doors are open.
Briz Brain & Spine wishes to apologise for the inconvenience caused and thanks you for your cooperation and understanding during this unprecedented situation.