Skin Checks

Australia is known as the sun burnt country as we love to spend time in the sun, whether is it for our sporting activities or professionally for work (such as the farmers that sustain the Riverina and surrounds). Therefore, it is essential to look after your skin, which is the largest organ in the body.

At Trinity Medical Centre, we offer comprehensive skin checks using the latest Digital Dermoscopy technologies. Our machine’s lenses magnify up to 140 times, so we can have a thorough examination of any spots. Our program allows us to store images of moles and freckles to later compare if a lesion is changing into something sinister. Together with our highly trained doctors and excellent devices, we can help you in the early detection of skin cancers.

To ensure a thorough exam, please help us by being prepared for your skin check appointments, by removing nail polish on fingernails and toes, removing fake tan and makeup. Deoderant is fine.

For more information on skin cancer, please click here to read more.

Treatments & Procedures

We have a range of treatment options in our rooms for concerning skin lesions. These include freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) for sunspots and pre-cancerous skin lesions, curettage and cautery for superficial skin cancers, prescription of field treatment (Solaraze, Efudix, Aldara and Picato) for sunspots and early skin cancers, and skin excisions such as simple excisions, skin grafts and flaps for skin cancer.

Health assessments & onsite testing

We believe that prevention is better than cure, therefore our doctors offer health assessments for all, including intellectual health assessments. A health assessment is a detail examination looking for early signs of chronic diseases in different body systems. To provide you with a complete picture, we offer onsite tests such as electrocardiograms -ECGs- (to check the heart), spirometry (to check the lungs) and ankle brachial pressure index -ABPI- (to detect signs of peripheral vascular disease and assess your circulation).

Chronic disease management

As the burden of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), fragile bones (oestoporosis), amongst others increases in our population, we can assist you by having a conversation in regards to lifestyle choices and changes (eating healthier and exercising more), medication options, referral to professional allied health via a chronic care plan (at a lesser financial burden) to ensure the best outcomes for you.

Sexual health

Sex is a natural part of life and care needs to be taken to ensure you and your partner's wellbeing. Sexual health is more than just the physical, but also encompasses emotional health. Our doctors are here to listen if you have any concerns or require any advice. It is important to note that contraception methods such as the pill and intrauterine devices alone are not protective against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Although condoms are protective against some infections, they are not protective against all. Condoms need to be used from the beginning to the end of each act of intimacy. Regular check ups are important to detect and treat STIs early on to prevent complications such as infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease and others. Remember it takes both you adn your partner to prevent STIs. For more information, please click here.

Fees

HCC holders, pensioners, university students with a valid HCC and patients under the age of 16 are all bulk billed, with the exception of specialised skin cancer appointments.

As a form of thanks for their service, all veteran affairs (that hold a Gold card) are bulk billed for all appointments including skin check appointments.

The AMA fee structure forms the basis of our billing policy including workcover and is displayed in the reception area of the practice, together with a copy of our fees structure. If you have any difficulty in paying our fees, please discuss it with us.

As per the AMA guidelines, we do charge a Transfer of Records fee if you wish to transfer your file to another practice.

Easy claim facility

Our practice offers easy claim facilities, meaning your Medicare rebate can be deposited directly into your account instantly if you have paid via MasterCard, Visa, Cheque or Savings accounts.

Please note we do not accept American Express.

Privacy Policy

Your information is handled with the utmost care. It is our practice’s policy to keep all documents highly confidential at all times, particularly your medical information. Only authorised personnel will be handling those documents. We abide by the Ten National Privacy Principals, which can be viewed here.

Upon your signed consent, documents can be released to a third party at the request of Insurance Companies, Power of Attorney, Work Cover or other specialists involved in your care.

Women’s health

Pregnancy (Antenatal) care

The journey to a healthy pregnancy starts before conception. To ensure a healthy baby, a healthy mother and father are needed. For that reason, a general checkup and prenatal advice for both parents is essential. Our doctors can organise ovulation and sperm checks, as well as check your hormones and vitamins and minerals (in particular folic acid and iodine) to minimise the risk of congenital malformations and deficiencies in the baby.

family planning

A wide range of contraceptive options are available now from oral pills to long acting hormone injections (every 3 months) to intrauterine devices (IUDs) and rods. It might be confusing to navigate through these options alone, that’s why our doctors are here to help you make the choice that is right for you.

A Mirena is an IUD with a slow release hormone over a period of 5 years. This is inserted by Dr Gouda (only) in our practice. An initial appointment is required for assessment and suitability.

Another option is the Implanon (a rod that releases progesterone slowly over the course of 3 years), which requires a mini surgical procedure to insert the rod in your non dominant arm. This procedure is conducted under local anaesthetic.

cervical screening tests & Breast checks

Formally known as Pap smear, a cervical screening test (CST) is the advanced way of detecting the human papilloma virus (HPV) before it has time to change the cervical cells to cancer (around 4-5 years), hence the rational behind doing the CST every 5 years instead to the pap smear, which detects the changes in the cells caused by the already present virus every 2 years. Some patients may require more frequent checks, please discuss with doctor.

As part of a wholistic women’s check up, breast check is offered and encouraged to detect and breast lumps and bumps. Our doctors can advise you on how to do a self breast examination.

Although it might seem uncomfortable a mammogram is the best screening tool to detect breast cancer as small as a pea size compared to when a cancer is being able to be felt as a grape size. Please do not delay. They are free of charge at breast screen Breast Screen from the age of 40-50years, but they are under no obligation to recall you every 2 years, whereas from the age of 50-74 breast screen will invite you biannually for a screening mammogram.

children’s check up and vaccinations

Our continuity of care to you and your family includes childhood vaccinations and general health check ups from the age of 6 weeks to 4 years. Vaccinations are essential in protecting you and your family against deadly diseases. Vaccinating healthy individuals increases the rate of herd immunity, meaning the individuals that have weaker immune systems or those that cannot be vaccinated are still protected from the diseases. A new meningococcal private vaccine is available, please ask our doctors for more info. For a vaccination schedule from childhood to adulthood, please click here.

Mental Health

We understand that health isn’t only physical, but encompasses mental health as well. We provide support and assistance for our patients to ensure that you are looked after holistically. Our services include, GP counselling, initiation of a mental health plan, after a full assessment, referral (as needed) to a psychologist or counsellor via face to face or telehealth appointments.

If you are struggling, please reach out for help. We are always here to listen.

Sports medicine

As much as prefer our patients to be intact, we know that accidents, especially on the sporting field, are inevitable. These range from muscle sprains and strains as well as fractures. We can assist you in returning back to the activities you love quickly.

Allied health

For completeness of care, we are delighted to have a dietician on board, as well as psychologists via telehealth. To assist our patients, our practice has a pathology collection centre for any blood tests you may require. Please contact the clinic for opening hours.

Travel Medicine

We are here to help you ensure you enjoy your overseas travels. The most effective way of protecting yourself and your family is via vaccination. The range includes influenza vaccinations, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, measles, typhoid, cholera, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, prophylaxis against malaria, etcetera.

Telehealth & eHealth

We understand that needing to see specialists outside of your residential area can be very inconvenient, therefore we offer Telehealth appointments through Skype that are organised through the practice with other specialists outside a 100km zone from your residential address. Psychologist Telehealth are not distance restricted and this will facilitate quicker appointments for patients who need them most. An initial consultation with one of our doctors is needed to assess your eligibility. Telehealth appointments are bulk billed.

eHealth is an initiative set by the Australian Government for patients who prefer to have their health records online. At your request, we can upload your health records online.