Practice Profile
Pioneer Health Centre is a mixed billing practice located at the intersection of Pioneer Road and Rothery Street in Bellambi. With highly skilled medical professionals on board, our practice has a wide range of comprehensive healthcare services on offer. This includes but is not limited to health assessments, mental health assessments, elderly care, paediatrics, women’s health, pregnancy and antenatal services, travel advice & vaccinations, skincare, wound care, minor surgeries, and emergency procedures.
We prefer that patients make prior bookings in order to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of our practice. By scheduling appointments in advance, we can better allocate our resources and provide you with timely and uninterrupted care. We acknowledge that health concerns can arise unexpectedly in which case prior bookings may not be feasible; as a patient-centred practice we strive to accommodate walk-in appointments whenever possible taking into consideration the flow of patients and overall busyness of the practice.
In response to the recent increase in business expenses, our management team has made the decision to implement an out-of-pocket fee. This fee has been carefully considered and is necessary to ensure the continued provision of high-quality care to our valued patients.
Billing Policy
Patients over 65 years of age, children under 16 years of age, concession card holders, DVA patients and First Nations patients will continue to be bulk-billed.
Follow up appointments for test results will be bulk-billed along with care plans, health assessments, nurse appointments, & national vaccine programmes.
All skin cancer checks will be bulk-billed for pensioners and patients above 65 years of age. Skin procedures and excisions are charged depending on site, size and complexity. There will be out of pocket charges which are usually between $50-100. Non -cancerous lesions may NOT be rebateable by Medicare.
Patients without a valid Medicare card and DVA card will incur a private fee.
Workers Compensation, Third Party Insurance (CTP) case payments will need to be processed upfront. Patients can directly contact their insurer to claim the amount paid.
All private forms up to 10 pages will incur a minimum fee of upto $65 for specific applications and forms like housing and carer allowance etc.
If you are experiencing financial hardship, we urge you to talk to your doctor. In some cases there may be a possibility of a revised payment plan which will be assessed by the doctor on a case to case basis.
THE PRACTICE
Latest Clinic News:
We acknowledge the financial hardship faced by our community with increasing cost of living pressures and have decided to reduce our standard consultation fee to $65 ($25 out of pocket).
We will continue to bulk bill patients over 65 years of age, children under 16 years of age, concession card holders, DVA patients and First Nations patients.
Follow up appointments will be bulk-billed for all, along with care plans, health assessments, nurse appointments and national vaccines.
If you are experiencing financial hardship, we urge you to talk to your doctor. In some cases there may be a possibility of a revised payment plan which will be assessed by the doctor on a case to case basis.
Last updated: 10/06/2023
Our Team
Dr Amir Vakil
General Practitioner
MBBS, MRCGP(UK), FRACGP, Diploma in Dermatology (UK), Professional diploma Skin cancer Surgery (Aust)
Dr. Amir Vakil was trained as a GP in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2008. He was awarded the Fellowship of the Australian Royal College when he came to Australia in 2014. Apart from Family Medicine, he has experience of working in a variety of specialities including Accident & Emergency and Intensive Care.
The spectrum of his General practice covers areas like Respiratory Medicine, Elderly care, Skin cancer, Paediatrics and all chronic diseases.
Dr. Vakil has recently been awarded as an Honorary Senior Lecturer with the University of Wollongong.
He has received a certificate in Dermatology from Cardiff UK and he was also holds a Professional Diploma in Skin Cancer Surgery.
In his spare time, Dr Vakil likes to travel and enjoys the beaches & lifestyle that Illawarra offers.
Dr Pankaj Singhal
Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor (SCCA)
MBBS, MD, MMed (Skin Cancer) FRACGP,
SKIN CANCER CLINIC/Surgeon
Available Friday by appointment only
Dr Singhal has more than 10 years of experience as GP with special interest in managing and treating Skin Cancers, He has been working in Illawarra Region as a GP for the past 8 years.
He specialises in management of Skin cancers which includes, Diagnosis, Medical and surgical management, and advanced procedures including flaps and grafts.
ALL Patients with Pension card or concession card will be bulk billed for skin checks. Procedure fees may vary depending on type, site and size of cancers.
Patients facing financial hardships may be bulk billed on discretion of the doctor. Please speak to the receptionist/doctor for the same.
Gynette Reyneke
Accredited Practicing Dietitian
Gynette is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD), specialising in evidence-based nutrition and skilled in providing expert dietary advice. Gynette is passionate about empowering individuals and families with the tools to manage disease and illness, optimise health and achieve wellness goals.
Our dietitian can help with the following conditions :
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Autoimmune Conditions
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Cardiovascular Disease
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Chronic Pain Management
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Diabetes
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Gastrointestinal Conditions
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General Healthy Eating (for all life stages)
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Healthy Weight Management
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Hypercholesterolaemia and Hyperlipidaemia
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Plant Based Nutrition - Vegan, Vegetarian
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Women’s Health (PCOS, Endometriosis)