Our Clinic
We are located in Suites 1 and 2, 440 Cambridge Street, Floreat WA 6014. The entrance is just off Cambridge Street down Birkdale Street opposite Pescado Seafoods.
We have onsite parking at the side of the building via Birkdale Street, there is also street parking where available.
Fees, Charges and Billing
Yes. You can pay by cash, cheque or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). We also accept American Express.
As Dr Rao is a Specialist, unfortunately we do not bulk bill. However we do however offer a reduced fee for Centrelink Pension Cardholders.
This will all depend on the type of treatment that you have. We will go through all the charges with you when you book your appointment. You are eligible for a Medicare rebate on majority of treatments, Private Health also covers some treatments.
Generally speaking, insurance companies do not allow you to claim on Private Specialist medical services. However, we do suggest that you check directly with your provider.
Yes, we can do your Medicare claim in our clinic from Monday to Friday.
We take the full cost of your appointment on the day and process the claim to Medicare when payment is received. Medicare will them reimburse you rebate directly into your account 2-7 days after. You must have a bank account linked to your Medicare account. You can do this via MyGov.
Dr Rao
A Sports Physician is a specialist doctor with expert knowledge in relation to all musculoskeletal injuries, whether sports-related or not. Dr Rao can perform a variety of specialist treatments/procedures on-site exclusive to Sports Physicians and indeed unique to Specialist Sportscare W.A.
You do not need a referral to see Dr Rao; however if you obtain a GP or Specialist referral, you will be eligible to claim a larger rebate from Medicare. Please note; Allied Health (Physio, Osteopath, etc) referrals are not recognised by Medicare. There is no difference in the service provided if you do not have a GP or Specialist referral; it is purely the rebate from Medicare that differs.
A referral from a Specialist is valid for 3 months, and 12 months if it is from a GP. If it is for the same problem and your referral is still valid, no further action is required. However, if you require treatment for a different injury or your referral has expired, please refer to the above question: Do I need a referral to see Dr Rao?
Absolutely! A proportion of Dr Rao’s patients are not involved in sport.
This really depends on the nature of your consultation and any questions that you may have. We generally book a 15 to 30 minute time slot but this can run over.
Yes he does.
Most clinics run on time; however if a patient is late or has a longer than anticipated appointment, Dr Rao can run slightly late. Please feel free to call before your appointment to check he is running on time.
Yes. However you will need a GP or Specialist referral. We also need proof that the claim has been approved. If the claim is still pending, you can pay the fee upfront and claim back from the insurance company once it is approved. If the claim is subsequently declined you can still be seen as a private patient. Dr Rao does not issue Progress Certificates. These must be obtained from the GP.
Yes he does. Gold cardholders do not pay anything for their appointments and treatments but we do need to pre-approve some treatments with DVA.
Treatments
Dr Rao can perform many procedures onsite. He will give advice at your appointment. Please note, diagnostic imaging is not done onsite.
We cannot give any advice on any condition. However you can discuss this with Dr Rao at your appointment, as he may not feel a cortisone injection will be the best course of treatment. Generally if Dr Rao recommends an injection, he can do this at the clinic under direct ultrasound guidance. We will need to book a follow up appointment for the injection; however some injections eg; spinal are done off premises. Dr Rao will be able to advise you at your appointment. We strongly recommend obtaining a GP or Specialist referral for all injections due to the higher Medicare rebates.
Yes he can. In fact Dr Rao is a preferred Specialist for viscosupplementation. You will need to book in for an initial consultation and discuss the diagnosis before he will recommend any treatment including Synvisc. Again we strongly recommend you obtain a GP or Specialist referral due to the higher Medicare rebates for ultasound-guided injections. For more information on Synvisc injections,
Generally you can but Dr Rao will advise. For PRP injections and ESWT we usually recommend a driver but it’s not always necessary unless Dr Rao specifically says so.
If a treatment has been suggested by another health professional, Dr Rao will need to see you to confirm the diagnosis and provide advice on treatment. It is at Dr Rao’s discretion as to what treatment is required, not the health professional. Dr Rao is the specialist with expert knowledge. Depending on time and patient demand it may be possible to do certain treatments at your initial appointment.
You will have to book separate appointments for each area. This can be a double appointment but Medicare only pay for one problem per day. You can discuss this with us when you call.
Physiotherapy
Unfortunately Medicare do not rebate on standard Physiotherapy services.
No.
Yes we do. We can do all claiming for you from your private health fund provided you have adequate cover.
The Physiotherapist may be able to give advice on this but it will probably depend on how you respond to treatment.
We do not have a pool here but our Physiotherapists are able to prescribe exercises for you to do in your own pool or at a local public pool.
Yes you can. Please mention this when calling to book an appointment.
Usually there is. However, you do need to check with your health insurance provider on whether you have Physiotherapy cover and what they will pay. The item numbers are 500 for an initial consult and 505 for a follow up if you want to confirm with them.
A Sports Physiotherapist has a Masters degree in Physiotherapy, which involves an extra 2 years of study at University. They are specifically trained in the treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of injury whether sports-related or not.
Absolutely. A proportion of our Physiotherapist’s patients are not involved in sport.
Not at the moment.
Generally all physiotherapy appointments are 20 minutes; however, if a patient requires more in depth treatment it can last a bit longer. Pilates assessments are 40 minutes and Pilates classes are 1 hour.
You will have to book separate appointments for each area. This can be a double appointment but your private health provider will only pay on one problem per day.
Yes. However you will need a GP or Specialist referral. We also need proof that the claim has been approved before commencing treatment.