Musculoskeletal Injuries & Concussion
Dr. Stephan Praet

If you have encountered an injury or concussion over the weekend, you can request and book in an urgent appointment on Monday morning (Fairy Meadow, NSW) or Tuesday morning (Kingston, ACT) through our reception to assess your injury and organize medical imaging if needed.

For sub acute or more chronic injuries or chronic pain management you are kindly advised to book in at any other available time through the Ochre Health or PHYTNESS Healthcare website or by calling our friendly receptionists. Dr Praet specializes in dextrose (neural) prolotherapy and has been trained in the safe use of minimally invasive Lyftogt perineural injection treatment (P.I.T.). 

There is an extra charge for injections which depends on the number injections needed. The cost of substances to be injected will be included in the injection fee on most occasions (cortisone, buffered isotonic or hypertonic glucose). Hyaluronan gel or equivalent injections require a script and need to be supplied by the patient or the pharmacy.

Dr Praet also welcomes Worker's Compensation cases upon referral from your GP or specialist.  Given the complexitiy and medicolegal requirements of Worker's Compensation cases, a 45 min consultation needs to be booked. Please be advised that different private billing rates apply for Worker's compensation cases, depending on Dr. Praet's time involvement and additional diagnostic procedures. Furthermore, a formal approval letter or e-mail from your insurer needs to be sent to our reception staff at least 2 working days prior to your first consultation.

Ochre Health in Bruce, ACT can be contacted on +61 (0)2 6180 8500. Ochre Health in Kingston, ACT can be contacted on +61 (0)2 6239 5520.

PHYTNESS Healthcare, Fairy Meadow, NSW can be contacted on +61 (0)2 4285 1725.

Please bring along any referral letter from your GP, specialist doctor, physiotherapist or allied health professional. For lower limb injuries you are kindly advised to bring your walking or sports shoes along as well.

Sports Concussion is a serious functional brain injury that is difficult to recognise as it is rare to loose consciousness. Concussion can happen in any sport, not just rugby. It can happen in the play ground. A sport & exercise physician can provide an accurate diagnosis and guide return to school and then exercise.

Generally, for an initial consultation you will be given a 30 minute appointment and for a review consultation of a simple injury you will be given a 15 minute appointment. More complex and chronic injuries and perineural dextrose injections typically require a 30 min appointment unless advised otherwise.

Unfortunately there are no bulk-billing rates in Australia for sport & exercise medicine services as rates are still higher than the Medicare rebate, so gap fees will apply. As I am working outside of a hospital, private health insurance are not allowed to cover doctors’ fees in Australia.

The Australian Federal government sets the Medicare rebates for different types of doctors. Medicare rates for sport and exercise physicians are substantially lower than most other physicians, and in fact are significantly lower than General Practitioner rebates. The Australian Federal government chose to drop sports physician consultation rebates substantially in November 2010 without any explanation. Please read the Sydney Morning Herald article by Roy Masters "Medicare rebate cut adds insult to injury" for more information.

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