Most health problems are easier to manage when the doctor treating you already knows your history. That is the real value of a local GP clinic: you see the same doctor, or the same small team, over months and years, so each visit builds on the last. In Australia, MyMedicare now lets you formally register with the practice you see most, which links some Medicare services to that practice. This article explains what continuity of care means, how MyMedicare works and how to keep your care joined up at Harpley Doctors in Werribee.
Key Takeaways
- Continuity of care means seeing a regular GP who knows you, your family and your history.
- MyMedicare is voluntary registration with your regular practice and preferred GP.
- You are eligible for MyMedicare after two face-to-face visits with the same practice in 24 months.
- Longer telehealth and chronic condition plans are linked to your registered practice.
- Registering does not stop you from getting care elsewhere when you need it.
What continuity of care means
Healthdirect’s guide to the role of a GP explains that GPs get to know you and your family over time and can provide care that is right for you. A GP who knows your background can take your social, cultural and environmental circumstances into account, and can coordinate your care when other health professionals are involved.
That matters most when something changes. A doctor who recorded your blood pressure last year, or who knows that a parent had heart disease, has a baseline to compare against. The same doctor also holds the thread when you are referred on: healthdirect notes that you cannot get a Medicare rebate for a specialist visit without a GP referral from the previous 12 months.
At Harpley Doctors, the about our practice page describes the clinic’s focus on long-term relationships and familiar faces, along with a systematic reminder system for health promotion, preventive care and early detection.
Why a local GP clinic makes continuity easier
Continuity only works if you can actually get back to the same place. A local GP clinic close to home or work makes follow-up visits, test results and reviews easier to fit into ordinary weeks. Harpley Doctors at T20, 1 Hindson Street in the Harpley Town Centre is open Monday to Friday 8 am to 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 5 pm, and public holidays 10 am to 3 pm. The clinic is appointment based, and walk-ins are always welcomed and accommodated.
Having tests done in the same building also keeps things together. Pathology collection by Australian Clinical Labs runs on site Monday to Friday 8 am to 12 pm and Saturday 9 am to 1 pm, so blood tests your GP orders can be collected in the same building during those hours.
Phone consultations are available for conditions that do not need an examination, but they are part of an ongoing relationship rather than a replacement for one: to stay eligible, you need to attend at least one face-to-face consultation each year.
Want a regular GP who knows your history? Book a bulk-billed consultation at Harpley Doctors.
MyMedicare: registering with your regular practice
MyMedicare turns continuity into something Medicare recognises. According to the Department of Health’s MyMedicare page, registration is voluntary and there is no charge to register. It tells your general practice that you have chosen them as your regular care team. Benefits listed by the department include:
- greater continuity of care with your registered practice
- longer Medicare-funded telehealth consultations with your GP
- more regular GP visits and care planning for people living in a residential aged care home
To be eligible, you need two face-to-face visits recorded with the same practice in the previous 24 months. A parent or guardian registers children under 14, and young people aged 14 to 17 can register themselves. You can start in your Medicare Online Account through the myGov app or ask the practice to start it for you. Our MyMedicare registration page explains how it works at Harpley Doctors.
Registration does not lock you in. You can change your preferred GP within the practice at any time, you can only be registered with one practice at a time, and you can still see other practices for services that are not linked to MyMedicare.
Long-term conditions and a regular GP
Continuity matters in a very practical way for people living with a long-term condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure or asthma. Since 1 July 2025, the GP chronic condition management plan has replaced the older care plan arrangements. It is for a condition that has lasted, or is likely to last, six months or more, and Services Australia says plans are generally reviewed every three months. If you are registered in MyMedicare, the plan is provided through your registered practice.
A plan can also open up Medicare rebates for up to five allied health visits a year, or ten for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Seeing the same GP for each review means the person adjusting your plan is the person who wrote it. Read more about chronic condition management and diabetes care at the clinic.
Several doctors on our team list chronic disease among their interests, including Dr Reda Aboelsaad (diabetes, hypertension, respiratory and kidney conditions), Dr Khalida Batool (diabetes, hypertension and heart disease) and Dr Reza Mirfakhraei (chronic disease and preventive care).
Making continuity work for you
A few habits help a regular GP relationship do its job:
- Book with the same doctor where you can, especially for reviews and test results.
- Register in MyMedicare once you have had two face-to-face visits, so plans and longer telehealth sit with your practice.
- Keep your annual face-to-face visit if you rely on phone consultations.
- Bring the whole family to the same practice: children can be registered at the same practice as a registered parent or guardian.
- Ask for help with language if you need it. Tell reception when you arrive, and the practice can request an onsite interpreter (booked before your appointment) or a telephone interpreter. See interpreters and languages for details.
Continuity does not end at closing time. Outside opening hours, call 13 SICK (13 7425) for after-hours care, and call 000 in an emergency. Our guide on when to see a GP or go to emergency helps with that decision.
To get started, book online through HealthEngine or call (03) 8731 1330. If this is your first visit, the new patient registration guide explains what to bring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register with MyMedicare to be a patient?
No. MyMedicare is voluntary. You can see a GP at Harpley Doctors without registering, and you can register later once you have had two face-to-face visits with the practice in 24 months.
Can I still see another doctor if I register?
Yes. The Department of Health says MyMedicare does not tie you to a particular healthcare provider. You can change your preferred GP within your registered practice at any time and still use other practices for services not linked to MyMedicare.
What if I move to a different practice?
You can be registered with only one practice at a time. Registering with a new practice automatically cancels the previous registration. If your preferred GP changes practices, you can re-register at their new practice without needing the prior face-to-face visits.
Are regular GP visits bulk billed?
All consultations and procedures at Harpley Doctors are bulk billed. See Patient Info and Fees for fees and practice policies.
Build a long-term relationship with a GP close to home. Book online through HealthEngine or call Harpley Doctors in Werribee.