We warmly welcome you to The Hand and Wrist Clinic, where our dedicated team is committed to providing you with exceptional care for your hand and wrist conditions. As you prepare for your consultation with us, we want to ensure that your experience is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Here are some helpful guidelines to assist you in getting ready for your visit with our esteemed surgeon, Mr Nik Jagodzinski.
Insurance Pre-Authorization
If you have private health insurance, please obtain pre-authorization for your consultation as well as any potential follow-up appointments, surgeries, or therapy treatments. These codes should be passed onto Mr Jagodzinski's secretary in advance of any consultation. Doing this in advance will help avoid any administrative delays and ensure that you can focus entirely on your consultation and treatment plan. Please see section on "Funding your Hand and Wrist Treatment"
Reflect on Your Symptoms
Taking a few moments to reflect on your symptoms before your appointment can greatly enhance the productivity of your consultation. Consider the following aspects:
Identify the Main Issue: Think about what you’re primarily experiencing — is it pain, a sense of instability, stiffness or weakness in your hand or wrist?
Characterize Your Pain: Try to describe the pain you’re feeling. Is it sharp, dull, throbbing or burning? Is it constant or does it come and go? How long does it last? Does it start somewhere and move somewhere else? Do you get it just when using your hand, or at rest? Do you get it at night? When is it worst?
Neurological symptoms: do you suffer any pins and needles, numness or muscle weakness? If so, which digits do you get this in? Do you get these whilst using your hand, or at rest? Do you get them at night? When is it worst?
Symptom Duration: Reflect on how long you’ve been experiencing these symptoms and whether they’ve changed over time.
Associated Events: Recall if your symptoms started after a specific event or injury, which can provide valuable insight into your condition.
Medical History: Consider any other medical problems you may have, as they can be relevant to your hand and wrist health.
Allergies: Be aware of any allergies you have, particularly to medications, which is crucial information for your treatment plan.
Current Medications: Compile a list of medications you are currently taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
Previous Treatments: Think about any treatments or interventions you’ve already tried for your hand and wrist issues, including exercises, physio/occupational/hand therapy, splinting, injections and previous surgeries.
Plan Your Journey
Arriving at your consultation feeling calm and unrushed sets the tone for a positive experience. We recommend planning your route to our clinic in advance, allowing extra time for potential traffic, transit or parking delays. This way, you can arrive with peace of mind, ready to discuss your symptoms with Mr Jagodzinski without the added stress of a hurried journey. We provide a Google Map with integrated directions to our clinic on the Contact page. As most clinic appointments are either early in the day or in the evening, parking at the hospital is usually less of an issue.
At The Hand and Wrist Clinic, we are here to support you every step of the way. By preparing these details beforehand, you can help us provide you with the most comprehensive and personalized care possible. We look forward to meeting you and working together to address your hand and wrist needs.