Admissions

Admissions

The admissions office is located near the Emergency Department.

Hours

Monday to Friday 7.00 am - 7.30 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10.00 am - 4.30 pm

Telephone

(03) 5485 5151

On the day of your admission

It is important that you arrive punctually for your appointment to allow time for preparation and completion of paperwork. Arriving too early means that you will have to wait unnecessarily until it is your turn to be admitted.
If you think you will be late, please telephone Admissions.

Please bring

• Medicare Card 
• DVA Card 
• Pension Card 
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Number/ Safety Net details 
• Health Insurance Book / Details 
• TAC and Work Cover claim numbers including employer details 
• Two telephone contact numbers of friends or relatives 
• Name, address and telephone number of your local doctor

Election

It is necessary for you to complete a Patient 'Election' form at the time of admission (or shortly after). You must elect to be treated as a public or private patient. This applies for both elective and emergency admissions. It is your choice to be treated as a public or private patient, regardless of whether you have private health insurance.

Private patients can choose to be treated by their own doctor (provided he/she has admitting rights). They are responsible for payment of all hospital and doctor's bills.

Public patients cannot choose their own doctor and the cost of hospital and medical care is covered by Medicare.

Compensable Patients

If your admission to hospital is as a result of a traffic or work related accident, you will be admitted as a compensable patient. Please notify staff if this applies to you. You must still elect to be a public or private patient should your claim be rejected.

Veteran's Affairs

Please notify staff if you hold a Department of Veteran's Affairs Gold Card or White Card. All of your claimable accounts will then be sent to DVA.

Accounts

Private patients are responsible for hospital accommodation costs and the accounts rendered by medical practitioners. However, in an effort to encourage the use of private health insurance, Echuca Regional Health has implemented a number of measures. These include the waiving of excess fees for those patients whose level of cover includes an excess, the admission of patients as self-funded private patients and a number of benefits which will commence on 4 December 2006.

All patients who have a discharge prescription dispensed to them will be charged for the medications provided.

Television Hire

Private Patients and Public Patients - free of charge

Telephone Hire

Private Patients - free of charge
Public Patients - $5 per day