
If you have a Medicare card, you can be treated as a public patient in a Gold Coast Health hospital, at no charge, by a doctor appointed by the hospital. You can choose to be treated as a public patient even if you are privately insured.
However, many specialist hospital services require a referral from your general practitioner before we can make an appointment for you.
To get a referral, first speak to your GP about your health care concerns. Your GP will determine if you need specialist treatment and arrange any medicines or tests that are required. Your GP will then send a written referral letter to a specialist doctor at one of our hospitals.
Depending on the urgency of your condition, you may be placed a wait list for your first “outpatient” appointment with a specialist doctor. After your appointment you may also be placed on an elective surgery wait list.
Services that don’t need a referral
You do not need a GP referral to access:
If you're eligible for Medicare and hold private health insurance when you are admitted to one of our hospitals, you can elect to be treated as a private patient.
Benefits
By electing to be a private patient you can choose your specialist doctor and their treating team. If the specialist of your choice is unavailable you can choose to be treated by another specialist who is on call at the time of your admission.
You may also be entitled to receive:
Supporting our hospitals
Hospital funding and resources are limited. Each time you use your private health insurance at one of our hospitals, you are helping us:
More information
Our Patient Options Liaison Officers (POLOs) can answer any questions you have before you choose to be treated as a private patient.
You can speak to your hospital’s POLO about issues such as:
If you would like to get in touch with your local POLO, please speak to the staff.