Ask your GP, Hand Therapist or Specialist to send us a referral. This should include your full name, NHI number, contact details, ACC number (if applicable) and/or health insurance details, as well as some background notes for Dr Sevao about your condition or accident.

We will then call you within two to three working days to book your appointment.

Patients are typically seen by Dr Sevao within zero to three weeks.

If we don’t already have them on file, please bring:

• Your referral letter

• Copies of any related medical notes, hand therapy/physio notes, x-rays, MRIs or scans.

• Your ACC number

• Your health insurance details

There are three costs involved with privately funded surgery:

1. The surgeon’s fee

2. The cost of using the operating theatre

3. The Anaesthetist’s fee

We will provide you with a quote for the cost of Dr Sevao’s surgeon’s fee. This is calculated by the amount of time your procedure will take in theatre. We will also arrange for the hospital and Anaesthetist to provide you with estimates for their fees.

If you have health insurance, these quotes must be submitted to your insurer for prior approval. Depending on your policy wording, your insurer will approve all or part of the cost and issue you with a pre-approval letter. You will then forward this on to our office.

After your surgery has been carried out, you will receive an invoice from us, the hospital and the Anaesthetist, which you will pass on to your insurer for payment. If there is a co-payment for you to pay, you will settle this with us yourself. Your insurer will will also pay us their portion directly.

If you don’t have health insurance and want to pay for your surgery yourself, you will be quoted and invoiced the same way, but you will settle the invoices with each party directly prior to your surgery being carried out. Invoices are payable within seven days.

There are two ways you can obtain an ACC18 Medical Certificate.

1. Ask Dr Sevao to generate one for you during your clinic consultation.

2. Ask your GP to generate one for you (this is sometimes quicker if you don’t have a clinic review with Dr Sevao for awhile).

In both of these cases, a copy of your Medical Certificate is sent directly to ACC for their information. If you would like a copy for your records, please email our office (office@handsurgery.co.nz). If you are requesting a Medical Certificate outside of your clinic appointment, please give at least two weeks notice.

Your arrival time will be confirmed by the hospital the afternoon prior to your surgery. Please expect their phone call. Unfortunately your arrival time cannot be confirmed sooner as surgery times can change right up until the day before. Patients can be taken off the list at the last minute if they fall ill or there are other unforeseen circumstances. New patients can also be added to the list at the last minute in the case of emergencies which can also affect timing.

You will receive a call from the hospital’s Admissions Nurse the afternoon before your surgery. They will go through their pre-admission checklist over the phone with you and let you know the exact time you need to arrive at the hospital the next day.

Please call our office on ph 09 320 1325 or email office@handsurgery.co.nz as soon as you feel your symptoms coming on. Dr Sevao and the hospital can then advise the best course of action for you.

Please call our office on ph 09 320 1325 or email office@handsurgery.co.nz no less than 48 hours prior to your scheduled consultation so that your appointment can be offered to another patient. We will then reschedule your consultation for a new time that works for you.

Yes Dr Sevao is an Affiliated Provider with Southern Cross Health Insurance. This means that we can apply to Southern Cross on your behalf for the cost of your clinic consultations with Dr Sevao. You will not need to submit a claim yourself.

Please provide your Southern Cross policy number and policy name when you book your appointment. Unfortunately we cannot apply on your behalf if we do not have your insurance details on file.

Depending on your policy wording, Southern Cross will cover all or part of the cost of your clinic appointments. If there is a co-payment for you to pay, we will invoice you directly.

Please note that this service only applies to clinic fees, and does not apply to surgery. The process for obtaining pre-approval for surgery is outlined above.