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A few facts about us
In 1982 local doctor Laurie Kelly finished his four year residency at Gold Coast hospital, walked across the road and set up an after hours medical service providing the Gold Coast community with access to a doctor when their normal GP was asleep.
Since that time Dr Kellys phone number has been answering calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week without an interruption in service
After Hours Doctor provides to the entire Gold Coast community with night time, weekend and public holiday access to general practitioner (GP) services.
Surgeries are operated from Southport and Palm Beach and house calls are made between Coomera and the NSW border. People are visited in homes, motels, hospices, caravan parks and anywhere else there is a call for GP services.
After Hours Doctor is a valuable backup for the local ambulance services and in many cases is able to relieve the burden on Gold Coast emergency departments by providing people access to care in a cost effective and convenient manner.
Local GPs subscribe to the service and receive medical notes on any treatment given to their patients by After Hours Doctor. Many local GPs have their phones diverted to the Southport or Palm Beach Surgeries after hours, or leave messages on their answering machines or surgery doors telling their patients how to contact After Hours Doctor although in a recent survey by the Gold Coast division of General Practice only 25% of respondents were aware they could contact a GP after hours.
After Hours Doctor employs ten full time GPs.
All services are direct billed and no ordinary patient has been refused.
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