Podiatrist Brighton
Posted on September 22, 2017
Are you looking for a professional Podiatrist in the Brighton area?
Leah Waters Podiatrist works out of a vibrant new Podiatry Clinic on the corner of Nepean highway and South road, Hampton East. Just a short trip from Brighton down the Nepean highway.
If you have any foot concerns, that you would like to get looked at by a professional podiatrist in Hampton East, please call (03) 9939 3339 to make an appointment.
For information on How To Choose a Podiatrist - see below the map
How to Choose a Podiatrist?
Finding the best Brighton Podiatrist (in a Brighton Podiatry Clinic) to help you with your foot, ankle and lower limb disorders is very important.
Firstly you need to establish the type of Brighton Podiatry services you want/need. Unfortunately, like most doctors, not all Brighton Podiatrists were created equally. All have their own individual strengths and weaknesses when it comes to treating different foot conditions. Some Brighton Podiatrist’s see a lot of general treatment patients, but don’t experience many instances of biomechanics problems, requiring complicated orthotic prescriptions. Or perhaps they don’t see many paediatric (children’s) foot problems.
To ensure that the Podiatrist you see has the necessary skills to treat your condition, you should ring up and ask. Sometimes you may only be able to get onto reception staff. But they will be able to tell you whether or not the Podiatrist see’s many patients with similar problems. Another way is to visit their Podiatry clinic website and view descriptions of the services they provide.
There are 3 types of Podiatry Facilities in Australia. Podiatrists’ can be found in Private Practices, Hospitals and Community Health Centres.
Qualifications of a Brighton Podiatrist?
Find out what study your Brighton Podiatrist has completed. Have they done the regular University degree or have they completed additional study with an honours year? Once they completed University, have they become a member of the Australian Podiatry Association and other relevant organisations such as Sports Medicine Australia? Are they involved in the organisation’s Special Interest Groups to ensure they are up to date with the latest best practice developments? Do they regularly attend conferences to follow the latest research? Have they gained additional qualifications to complement their skills? Are they a Sports Podiatrist?\
What Type of Podiatry Services do you need?
Are your suffering from general foot concerns, such as nail and callous issues? Do you suffer from ingrown toenails and is the Podiatrist qualified to surgically remove them if required? Does the Brighton Podiatrist have the appropriate equipment/medicaments to treat Plantar Warts if that is your concern?
If suffering from foot pain is your Podiatrist able to give you a diagnosis of you problem? They may refer you for imaging such as x-ray or ultrasound to help in this diagnosis.
Does the Podiatrist offer a variety of different orthotic options? All feet are different and require different levels of support. It also depends on your foot structure, footwear and of course budget as to which orthotic option will suit you best. Orthotics are available in Prefabricated/Off the shelf style devices, semi-customized and fully customized depending on your needs. There are also a variety of different material options for your Podiatrist to choose from.
If you are participating/competing in a lot of sport or exercise, does your Podiatrist understand your chosen sport and are they able to specifically tailor treatment to your needs?
Pricing and Consultation Times?
Podiatry Clinics around Melbourne operate differently. It is common to see difference in consultation times and prices between clinics. Generally consultations will vary between 20 – 45 minutes. You need to know this to make sure your comparing apples, with apples between clinics. Your first consultation with a Podiatrist, also referred to as an initial consultation, will often be a longer appointment. This allows your Podiatrist to get the full picture about your foot complaint. However, expect to pay a little more for initial consultations, than your follow up appointment. This is usually between $10 and $20 more than a normal appointment.
Other local Practitioners?
Does the Podiatrist have an affiliation/relationship with other local Practitioners such as Doctors, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Massage Therapists etc? This can improve your treatment outcomes when you have a variety of health practitioners working closely together to get you better as quick as possible. Practitioners should endeavour to be in contact regularly to follow your progress. It can be very difficult as a patient if you are passing back and forwards with “my Physio said this…” or “my Podiatrist thinks…”. It helps if everyone looking after you is working together rather that their different treatments working against each other.
Practice Premise?
Does the Podiatry clinic have an easily accessible premise? Can you park your car easily? Do they have facilities to accommodate disabled patients?
Billing facilities?
Does the clinic offer a range of payment options? Most clinics will have EFTPOS facilities and now commonly HICAPS as well. HICAPS enables you to swipe your private health fund card and claim any benefits on the spot. This saves paying the full amount for the appointment and having to go and claim any benefits back from your health fund later. Many clinics are now also offering Medicare Online Claiming facilities, for patients covered under the Enhanced Primary Care Plan. This allows the clinic to claim the refund from Medicare directly so you are only charged the ‘gap’ or no out of pocket expenses if the practitioner has the ability to ‘bulk bill’.
Recommendations from Friends?
Do you have a friend or family member who has seen a Podiatrist they can recommend? Are you a member of a gym or sports club that can recommend a Podiatrist appropriate to your needs? Don’t be afraid to ask around. We all have different concerns and want something different out of our chosen Podiatrist.