Booking Appointments At Dr Lockie's Practice

Practitioner Appointments Explainer

Appointments at the practice can be confusing, as sometimes you may be seeing two practitioners during the same period.

I thought I would take a few steps to identify the differences between Dr Phil Lockie's appointment and an appointment with me.

Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery - Appointments

If you have had bariatric/metabolic surgery you should willl have your appointments with your surgeon to focus on:

• Gastro-intestinal function concerns
• Genral return to function issues
• Reflux medications associated with the surgery
• Long-term effects of the surgery and resultant changes.

A bone mineral density study is also recommended within the first year after surgery because of the danger of developing osteopenia or osteoporosis.

This will then be followed up with further bone mineral density studies based on your individual circumstances and guided by the latest evidence/research.

We often see our long-term patients who have very successfully managed a bariatric metabolic procedure.

As life can throw significant issues such as renal failure, cardiac disease, cancer, etc, you may find a discussion with Dr Lockie about your a bariatric procedure and how it fits into your new diagnosis, is helpful, useful and reassuring.

Metabolic Appointments

I focus on metabolic analysis, diving deeply into your individual bloods in context of your previous surgery or health issue.

Whether you have had a bariatric metabolic procedure or not, metabolic health is all about:

• Having your inner health reflect your outer health,
• Incorporating your health needs into your baseline blood assessment and treatment
• Accomplishing return to function as quickly as possible.

The metabolic health clinic has in essence been incorporated into all surgeries within the clinic including:

• Hernia
• Divarication of recti
• Complex gallbladder
• Appendicectomy

Metabolic health care produces the best efficient health, long-term.

We are two individual practitioners but we work together as a united force for the best possible health of our bariatric patients, other surgical and non surgical patients.

Appointments and Medicare

Often, if you have had metabolic surgery, my appointments are covered under medicare within the first year.

Also, if the appointment is not complex or leading to further planning, it can also be reduced fee.

Other Metabolic and Care Services

I also perform injections and infusions of a range of vitamins and minerals.

• Vitamin D and B12 injections are bulk billed
  • These can be easily slotted in between other patients with some prior warning.
• Iron and Multivitamin infusions take longer as monitoring is required.
  • A booking well in advance is required so that a suitable time slot is available

I do recommend a multivitamin infusion if everything else is good in your bloods and but you feel you would like the edge to be able to cope with whatever life throws at you.

Checking In

Having a check-in appointment can be beneficial for Planning better health and better long-term success, especially when life is getting on top of you a little.

We are experts at interpreting blood results, so can pick up issues early, helping to maintain good health in the long term.

We look forward to seeing you and guiding you through the practice.

Shirley Lockie

Nurse  Practitioner, Surgical Assistant, SCOPE Certified

Phone: 3355 2011