Admission to Hospital

What to bring to Hospital

• Medicare Card
• Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme entitlement card (if relevant)
• Concession, Healthcare, Safety Net card
• DVA/Pension Card
• Private Health Insurance Details (If applicable)

Any documentation that the doctor has given you for example:

• Medication Chart
• Operation Consent form (if not already given at booking in)
• Anaesthetic Information
• X-rays
• Letter / instruction

Staying Overnight

If your stay is for one or more nights, you should bring the following items:

• Night clothing: clothing should be comfortable for moving around. Ensure your clothing is not too long because it could cause you to fall.
• Footwear: supportive, well-fitting slippers or shoes that fasten with laces or Velcro straps. Bed socks or loose fitting shoes should be avoided as they may cause a fall.
• Toiletries
• Medications: please bring a list of all the medications you take and any recent changes that have been made. This includes all medicines prescribed by your doctor or those purchased by a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
• Glasses: both reading and distance (if required)
• Hearing aids: with a spare set of batteries (if required)
• Walking aids: walking stick or frame (if required)
• Small change for phone calls made from public telephone in hospital foyer.  Phone cards can be purchased at the Administration office in the foyer for bedside telephones.
• Please do not bring large amounts of money or jewellery

Note:  Private electrical appliances will be subject to a safety check (by the Hospital) prior to use in the Hospital.

Valuables

Please avoid bringing valuables (including watches, jewellery, etc.) or large amounts of cash into the hospital, as the Health Service does not accept responsibility for such items.
If you have brought valuables in with you, it is advisable to sign them over to the staff to be maintained in the safe.  You will be given a receipt for the valuables, to be used at the time of collection.

Collection of valuables can only be undertaken during office hours.  If amounts of money over $50 have been signed over to the Health Service, at least one business days’ notice is required to retrieve these, as cash is not kept on the premises.  This arrangement is to be made via the Administration office at the Hospital (03) 5671 3333.

Patient Classification

Bass Coast Health is a public hospital, and on admission you will be required to make a decision regarding your patient classification status. You will be classified as one of the following care types:

• Public patient (Medicare)
• Private patient (Health Insurance details required)
• Compensable patient (WorkCover or TAC – claim number required)
• Veterans’ Affairs patient (Card required for entitlement number & colour)
• Overseas patient from countries without reciprocal healthcare. Patients not covered by Medicare will be charged fees to achieve full cost recovery.

Private Patients

Patients with private health insurance have the choice to be treated as either a public or private patient – unless you have agreed with your surgeon to have your procedure as a private patient. By using your private health insurance at Wonthaggi Hospital, you are assisting the Health Service to maintain provision of the best care and facilities for the community we serve.

Bass Coast Health offers a comprehensive list of specialist surgeons as well as visiting medical staff from the Wonthaggi Medical Group. The Private Patient Liaison Officer at Bass Coast Health will manage all hospital accounts and paperwork to ensure no out-of-pocket expenses are incurred by the private patient.

Public patients cannot choose their own doctor, will receive follow up treatment in our Outpatients' Clinics, and do not receive any bills relating to their care in hospital.
If you elect to be a private patient please ensure that your health fund membership is up to date, covers your admitted procedure (if surgical) and that you have your membership card/book or details with you.  It is your responsibility to be aware of your level of cover and to ensure that your membership is current.

Compensable patients

If your admission is the result of a traffic or work related accident you will be admitted as a compensable patient (different fees apply). Please notify staff if this applies to you. You must still elect to be public or private in the event of your claim being rejected. No accounts will be sent to you if you tell us who is responsible for your medical expenses.

Veteran's Affairs

Please notify staff if you personally are the holder of a Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA) Gold or White Card. All of your claimable accounts will then be sent to DVA.