Top
About Mr Vishal Pai Practice Team Surgical Team Research
Overview of Knee Conditions Cartilage Conditions Ligament Conditions (ACL, PCL, MCL & LCL) Posterolateral Corner Injury Meniscal Conditions Osteoarthritis Patellofemoral Conditions Trauma Conditions
Overview ACL Surgery :: ACL Repair Knee Arthroscopy :: Meniscal Repair :: Meniscectomy Knee Replacement :: Partial Knee Replacement :: Revision Knee Replacement :: Robotic Knee Replacement Patella Stabilisation PCL Surgery PRP Injections Realignment Osteotomy
Your Initial Appointment Pre-operative Care Post Operative Care Patient Forms Priority Knee Injury Clinic Rehabilitation Protocols Telehealth Consultation
ACL Reconstruction • Knee Replacement • Knee Arthroscopy • Meniscal Repair

Your Initial Appointment

Patient Assessment Knee Surgeon Melbourne Orthopaedic Surgeon

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment time to complete your registration paperwork and a health questionnaire. Click here to complete the new patient form online prior to your appointment.

What to bring to your first appointment

  • Referral from your general practitioner

  • List of current medications

  • Medicare card

  • Private health insurance details

    • Membership number

  • TAC or WorkCover details

    • Claim number

  • Healthcare card or DVA card

  • Imaging

    • Please bring CDs or hard copies of all imaging you have had related to your knee problem. This includes X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds, and MRI scans.

    • If you have copies of the radiologist’s reports, please bring these with you as well.

    • Mr Pai will need to view your images directly in order to make an accurate assessment of your problem. Reading a report alone will not suffice.

    • If you do not have a copy of your images, please contact us at least 24 hours prior to your appointment so we can contact the relevant imaging department to obtain online access prior to your appointment.

We provide telehealth consultations

Find out about our telehealth consultation service if you are unable to make it to your appointment in person.

What to expect at your first appointment

We respect your schedule and will endeavour to see you on time. However, unexpected delays may occur due to medical emergencies or urgent surgeries. If significant delays are expected, we will contact you and keep you updated regarding the situation.

  • New patient appointments are allocated 30 minutes.

  • Follow-up appointments are allocated 15 minutes.

Consultation fees

Part of your consultation fee will be reimbursed by Medicare and our administrative team will assist you with this. The Medicare reimbursement requires a valid GP referral so please bring this to your appointment.

New patient appointment

  • $250 ($76.80 reimbursed by Medicare)

Followup appointment

  • $120 ($38.60 reimbursed by Medicare)

Post-surgery appointment

The cost of the first two post-operative appointments is covered by your surgical fee. Any subsequent follow-up appointments will be charged a standard follow-up appointment fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get an appointment with Mr Pai? +

To book an appointment please call reception on (03) 8657 0595. You will need a referral letter from your general practitioner prior to your appointment.

Do I need to pay for my consultation at the time of my appointment? +

Full payment of the invoice is expected at the end of the consultation. We accept EFTPOS or credit card payments (Mastercard and Visa) only. Cheques and cash are not accepted. We are able to assist you to get the Medicare rebate which will cover part of the consultation cost.

Will my health insurance cover my procedure? +

Recently, health insurance has been simplified, and your plan should fall into one of 4 tiers: Basic, Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

These changes have been made in order to make private healthcare insurance easier to understand so patients know what conditions are included in their coverage.

We will provide an MBS item number(s) for your operation as part of our financial consent process. You should check with your insurer whether these item numbers are covered as part of your policy prior to your surgery.

In general, the following common orthopaedic operations require this tier of cover.

  • Joint replacement (Gold)
  • Ligament reconstruction (Bronze)
  • Fractures or tendon injuries (Bronze)

Do you charge a gap fee for surgery? +

The Medicare reimbursement for surgery has not substantially increased for several years despite the rising cost of healthcare. As a result, Mr Pai does charge a gap fee to account for this disparity.

The Australian Medical Association publish recommended rates for surgical operations that are in line with indexation. Mr Pai's fees will not exceed the AMA recommended rates. In some circumstances, Mr Pai works with most major insurance companies (BUPA, HCF, Medibank Private amongst others) in order to be a “known gap" provider. The gap fee will depend upon the complexity of the surgery and peri-operative care required.

If surgery is recommended, your gap fee will be stated on your quote and this will need to be paid 1 week prior to surgery.

What is informed financial consent? +

We aim to be transparent about the costs associated with surgery. During your consultation, if surgery is deemed to be appropriate, we will provide you with a financial quote for the costs associated with surgery, which will include any out-of-pocket costs.

The quote we provide is related to the Mr Pai’s fee. There are other healthcare providers involved in your journey and we are happy to provide you with their details before your operation so that there is financial transparency.

Does Mr Pai see uninsured patients? +

Mr Pai does not see uninsured patients in his private rooms. However, he holds positions at both Box Hill Hospital and Sandringham Hospital, where he contributes his expertise within the public healthcare system. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with Mr Pai within the public system, kindly consult your general practitioner to facilitate the process by sending a referral to the appropriate public hospital.

Does Mr Pai see WorkSafe and TAC patients? +

Yes, we do. If your injury is classified under WorkSafe or TAC we request that you bring your claim number and accompanying paperwork to support your claim to your consultation. Your consultation fee must be paid in full on the day and we will provide you with a receipt which allows you to claim the reimbursement through WorkSafe or TAC.

Does Mr Pai see Veteran Affairs (DVA) patients? +

Yes, we see and treat Veterans Affairs patients but request that you bring your Gold Card to the consultation. Veterans Affairs patients are not charged and DVA will be billed directly.

Do I need X-rays or an MRI scan prior to my appointment? +

Having X-rays or other radiological investigations are not necessarily required prior to your appointment. However, depending on the nature of the referral, Mr Pai may organise for you to have some X-rays or other imaging prior to your appointment with him. This can be organised on-site at his four consulting locations.