FAQ

Osteopathy was founded by the American doctor, Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in 1874. Dr. A.T. Still had found he was able to clear his own headaches by manipulating and massaging his neck. From there he began to investigate the manipulation of the joints which he believed would release the body’s abilities to heal itself and in doing so has developed the Osteopathy we know today.

In 1892, Dr. A.T. Still opened the first Osteopathic College in Kirksville Missouri. In this college he taught to his students three concepts:

Whilst A.T. Still was visionary for his time, Osteopathy and its Philosophy have advanced greatly since its inception in 1874 through the testing and experimenting of different techniques and theories about the human body and will continue to evolve as more of the human body becomes understood. However that being said these three concepts are still taught to Osteopathic Students across the world today and have been expanded upon to develop the Philosophy of Osteopathy as more information becomes available.

The development of Osteopathy and its Philosophy extends now well beyond 100 years and whilst has seen a large advancement in the theories and the techniques used to diagnose and treat people, still relies very much on its fundamental teaching by its founder.

Osteopaths are University trained Primary Health Care practitioners. In Australia there are three University courses of which you can study at to be an Osteopath. All of these courses require between four and five years of full time study at the completion of which Graduates become eligible for registration with AHPRA.

The Universities that currently offer Osteopathic Education are:

You can find out the most up to date information about their course programs and requirements by contacting the relevant University directly.

Osteopaths are government registered practitioners with AHPRA. There is a continuing education requirement for an Osteopath to renew their registration yearly that ensures they are up to date with their skills, current research, techniques and best practice.

This is one of the most common questions we are asked. There are some similarities between professions such as Osteopathy, Chiropractic and Physiotherapy in both the conditions treated and at times the style of treatment performed, but the main differences are found in the philosophies behind each modality and how the principles of treatment are applied.

The main principles of Osteopathy are based upon the relationship between the structure and function of the body, the body’s inherent ability to defend and repair itself, the body’s self-regulatory mechanisms and that the movement of body fluid is essential to the maintenance of health. This explains that dysfunction or changes to an area of the body can cause effects on other regions of the body. As Osteopaths, we aim not only to treat the symptoms of the problem, but the cause behind them. In doing so, all of our techniques are hands-on and are specific to your condition and your medical history.

A referral is not necessary as a private patient at this clinic, however if you do have one from your G.P. or any other health care professional please bring this with you so we can work in conjunction to provide you the best possible care.

1. Department of Veterans (DVA)

A referral is required before treatment can occur. All DVA Card Holders require a referral from your GP on the designated DVA form and this needs to be brought to the first consultation and updated annually as applicable.

2. Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Medicare

A referral is required before treatment can occur. Your GP will be able to assess your eligibility for this scheme.

3. Workcover

A referral is not necessary to come to the clinic as a Workcover client however you need to contact Worksafe to seek approval for your treatment prior to your consultation. Your Initial Certificate of Incapacity is required to come from your General Practitioner as we can only issue Ongoing Certificates of Incapacity. Whilst you may be eligible to have your related medical treatment funded under Workcover, you will be required to pay for the treatment at the time of consultation and seek reimbursement from your employer or insurer. Please contact the clinic for the current fee schedule.

At your first consultation you will need to bring:

4. TAC (Transport Accident Commission)

A referral is required before treatment can occur. Whilst you may be eligible to have your related medical treatment funded by the TAC, you will be required to pay for the treatment at the time of consultation and seek reimbursement from your employer or insurer. Please contact the clinic for the current fee schedule.

Prior to presenting for treatment we ask that you obtain:

Osteopathic Treatment is covered by Health Insurance Funds under “extras” or “ancillary” cover so assuming you have this with your policy you will be able to claim back on your treatment. The amount your fund will pay varies enormously depending on the policy you have so if you contact your fund they will be able to confirm your eligibility and rebate.

To claim from us if you can bring your Health Insurance Card with you we use the HICAPS system which allows you to claim on the spot. If accepted you will only be required to pay the ‘gap.’ If you don’t have your card with you we will issue you with a receipt upon payment which you can then present to your Health Insurance Fund for reimbursement.

You cannot claim your Osteopathic Treatment under Medicare except if you are eligible for the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Initiative. This is the only circumstance in which a rebate on your treatment can be claimed from Medicare.

For you to be eligible for this scheme you must meet certain criteria of which your GP will be able to assess. It is made available for people with chronic conditions and complex care needs who are being managed by their General Practitioner (GP) under a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) multidisciplinary care plan.

If you are deemed eligible your GP will provide you with an CDM Referral Form to bring with you to your appointment. Treatment under this scheme is valid for up to 5 services maximum in a year and cannot occur without this referral. Full payment of our Osteopathic Consultation fee is required at the time of your appointment (please contact the clinic for the current fee) and you can chose to either then claim your rebate on the spot or we will issue you with a receipt to enable you to claim from Medicare. You will be out of pocket a gap fee, details of your out of pocket expense can be obtained from the clinic.

More information regarding CDM under Medicare can be obtained from the clinic, your GP or the Health Insurance Commission.

X-rays are not always essential to diagnose and treat complaints and are usually only ordered to eliminate serious disease or trauma. If there is a need for further testing or imaging with regards to your complaint you will be able to discuss this with your treating Osteopath. If you have x-rays, other imaging or results of tests you have already had regarding your complaint, please bring this along with you at the time of consultation as the more information we have to use the better.

Children can benefit greatly from Osteopathic treatment to assist in the prevention of health problems. Children can develop structural problems from a variety of different causes such as accidents and falls, postural difficulties and even respiratory difficulties. As children heal very quickly, long term treatment is not likely to be necessary.

For Initial Osteopathic Assessment and Treatment to occur at this clinic we require a parent or guardian to be in attendance for the entire duration of the consultation if your child is not yet 18 years of age.

If your child is 16 years or over it is at the parents or guardians discretion if they wish to attend any subsequent consultation beyond the first treatment.

We appreciate your understanding on this issue and should you have any queries regarding this please contact the clinic.