Frequently Asked Questions

There has been feedback from patients about website issues.

Most of the time, this is due to an incomplete account setup.

We usually do this automatically for all new patients every 1-2 weeks, but sometimes this is handled incorrectly by the software.

If you have any problems with your account setup, please contact our reception email with details and we will set up your account manually.

15 minute consults are more suited to dealing with intercurrent illnesses like colds and accidents.

For ongoing medical problems, this is only sufficient to make a basic plan and most complex issues are left unmanaged or referred to specialists.

GP clinics generally rely on recurrent consults to keep making a profit, and there is a perverse incentive not to solve issues because patients would then not need to come back.

At Hillview, we use 30 minute consults which allows time to make a comprehensive management plan.

This way, by solving problems, patients are happier and do not need to attend clinic as frequently.

Our care model makes money by increasing the efficiency of our consults, thus allowing us to enrol more patients and thus obtain higher capitation subsidy from the Ministry of Health.

When a patient is enrolled at a GP practice, the Government pays an annual subsidy called capitation for that practice to look after the patient's health needs.

For a consult, the patient billed for a co-payment sum which at Hillview amounts to $60 per visit for an adult.

The capitation payment for an adult is about $100 and assumes an average of 2½ visits per year, thus amounting to $40 per consult.

Each consult thus costs a total of $100, comprising a patient co-payment of $60 and a government subsidy of $40.

For children (5-14 years), the annual capitation rate is $150 with a $78 supplement for clinics with zero-fees.

Per consult, this amounts to about $90 subsidy with no patient co-payment, assuming 2½ visits per year.

In reality, children need to see their doctor more often than adults and make 5-6 visits per year if allowed.

This reduces the capitation subsidy per visit to only $40-50, which is unprofitable.

Clinics overcome this problem by over-enrolling patients and driving their wait time up to more than one or two weeks.

This way, by the time children can access medical care, their problem would have resolved itself or gotten bad enough for them to go to hospital or urgent care.

Fewer visits by children means higher capitation per consult and better profits.

At Hillview, we see all patients within 24 hours especially children.

This means more work and less money for us, but we don't mind as we love all our children.

We still have to make some money to remain in business, so we do charge a small sum of $10 for repeat prescriptions.

Some clinics in South Auckland which serve economically deprived populations can claim an additional subsidy provided they cap their co-payment charges.

Hillview is located on the Hibiscus Coast and we unfortunately do not quality for this subsidy.

Other clinics charge a lower co-payment but work on short 5-10 minute consults with very large patient enrolments.

This reflects the health system in some Asian countries where GPs only deal with colds and minor injuries, while everything else is seen by specialists.

At Hillview, we manage most conditions in-house and only refer on what we can't handle. Co-payment for consults is higher, but you pay less for specialist visits which can cost several hundred dollars.

For a non-ACC consult, the government subsidy covers $40 while the patient co-payment is $60 at Hillview.

For an ACC consult, the patient co-payment is still $60 but the ACC pays for the government portion of the subsidy.

For subsequent visits under ACC, the same payment system still applies.

We currently employ clinic nurses on a part-time basis.

As our patient enrolment increases, we can justify having more nurse shifts.

We expect by end-2025, we should have nurses on roster full-time.

Meanwhile, you can call reception to book appointments with our nurses during their scheduled shifts.

We currently open from 1 - 8 pm on weekdays and 9 am - 1 pm on Saturday.

This is to accomodate people who work in the city and cannot take time off during office hours, and also children whom we don't want to miss school.

Later in mid-2025, we expect to bring in new GPs who will extend our coverage to the morning shift on weekdays.

Our telephone is manned full-time during clinic hours.

Sometimes, especially during the first hour of our clinic, many people call and you may have difficulty getting through.

An alternative would be to use the website message system to contact a member of staff directly.

This creates an annoying pop-up on our system which will not go away until we have read it.

Dr Loke is currently the sole doctor manning the clinic.

Once the patient enrolment increases, we will engage a second GP for our clinic.

We eventually expect to have three GPs working full-time to serve you, possibly by the end of 2025.