Before Surgery
INITIAL APPOINTMENT WITH DR MICHAEL HATZIFOTIS
INITIAL BARIATRIC APPOINTMENT (60 mins) - $200
Includes:
- 1 hour Initial/Pre-op consultation with Dr Michael Hatzifotis - $200 fee (Medicare rebate: $86.15 as at Jul 2025)
- $110 fee for any further review consultations before surgery
- Valid GP or Specialist referral required
- Completed patient information form and signed privacy consent form required
- Thorough assessment (ie: medical history, surgical history, dietary history and assessment of eating behaviours, thorough physical examination)
- Assess eligibility and appropriateness for surgery
- Surgical options explained
- Questions answered
- Discuss relevant pre-operative tests required
- Discuss Health Management Program - Pre-operative (before surgery), In hospital and Post-operative (after surgery) program
- Discuss detailed informed consent including risks of surgery
DETAILS ABOUT INITIAL APPOINTMENT WITH DR HATZIFOTIS:
Where:
Level 8, Suite 210 Nicholson Street Specialist Centre, 69 Nicholson Street, Greenslopes.
Cost:
$200 – Payment is due on the day. If you have a valid Medicare card and have paid the consultation fee in full, our admin team can submit the Medicare rebate on your behalf and a rebate of $86.15 will be paid into your nominated bank account.
Duration:
60 minutes - INITIAL BARIATRIC: Please allow one (1) hour for this INITIAL Weight loss surgery consultation. Dr Michael Hatzifotis will conduct a thorough assessment of your medical history, assess eligibility and appropriateness for surgery, discuss your options and risks, answer any questions and discuss Surgery Brisbane’s Health Management Program.
30 minutes - INITIAL GENERAL: Please allow half (1/2) hour for this INITIAL general surgery consultation. Dr Michael Hatzifotis will conduct a thorough assessment of your medical history, discuss your options and risks and will answer any questions.
Referral:
A valid referral from your GP/Specialist is required for this appointment and is preferred to be emailed/faxed to our rooms prior to your appointment.
Patient Documentation:
You will be required to complete a "Patient Personal Details Form" which includes a "Patient Privacy Information and Consent Form" and return by email, along with your "GP Referral", prior to your appointment. Alternatively, you may bring them with you on the day of your appointment.
Confirmation of Appointment:
Please confirm if you will be attending this appointment. If you need to cancel or reschedule this appointment, please call our rooms on 07 3847 7002 or email admin@surgerybrisbane.com.au . If you are unwell on the day, please contact us to arrange a Telehealth consultation.
Cancellation Policy:
Due to the busy nature of our clinic, we require at least 24 hours notice for any cancellations, so that we can contact patients from our wait list. If cancelled outside of this time frame, a Cancellation Fee may be applied.
Parking:
If you are parking in the multi-storey carpark, enter the main entrance to Greenslopes Hospital off Newdegate Street. Just before the cul-de-sac at the patient drop-off area is a road on the left. Turn left and follow the road to the Nicholson Street Specialist Centre carpark. Park on Level 6 and access the lifts to Level 8.
In order to qualify for Weight Loss Surgery with Dr Hatzifotis, you must meet the criteria below:
CRITERIA FOR WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY
| BMI | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| >35 | Regardless of the presence, absence or severity of comorbidities |
| 30 - 34.9 | Those who do not achieve substantial or durable weight loss or comorbidity improvement using non-surgical methods |
| >30 | With Type 2 Diabetes |
| Other BMI | Occasionally BMI outside of this range if you have had previous Bariatric Surgery |
| Age | Aged over 18, however in special circumstances may be aged 15 years or over 70 years |
After your INITIAL consultation:
INITIAL WEIGHT LOSS CONSULT: If you wish to proceed with surgery, a proposed surgery date will be tentatively booked. You will be given 7 days to pay a $500 non-refundable deposit to confirm the surgery date. You will receive a Surgery Brisbane Folder including important information about our Health Management Program. Appointments for the Dietitian and Psychologist will be made for your pre-surgery sessions and a post-op review appointment with Dr Hatzifotis will be scheduled for 3 weeks after surgery.
We will give you a checklist to help you prepare for your surgery. Payment for surgery is required at least 1 week prior to surgery.
INITIAL GENERAL CONSULT:
If you wish to proceed with surgery, a proposed surgery date will be tentatively booked. Depending on the procedure booked and whether you are past or new patient, you may be charged an Out of Pocket fee ranging from $0 - $500.
To make an appointment or to enquire about Weight Loss or General Surgery with Dr Michael Hatzifotis, please contact our rooms on
(07) 3847 7002 or email us at admin@surgerybrisbane.com.au and one of our friendly administrative team will be able to answer your questions and guide you through the process.
APPOINTMENTS WITH OUR MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM
Once your surgery has been booked with Dr Michael Hatzifotis, you will be required to have consultations with our Dietitians and Psychologists, to help support and guide you through the pre-op phase and prepare you for your weight loss surgery.
Our friendly Administrative team will help you book these appointments and will provide you with a folder including valuable information about our Health Management Program and a checklist to help you prepare for your surgery.
INITIAL APPOINTMENTS WITH OUR DIETITIANS
It is important to remember that surgery is an aid to weight loss. It is vital that eating behaviours are modified to get the best result from the procedure. It is important to eat a variety of healthy foods, to limit your intake of calorie-dense foods and liquids and to slow your speed of eating to improve food tolerance.
If eating behaviours are not adapted after surgery, weight loss will be limited or weight regain can be possible in the future. Our Dietitians will provide you with information and support to help guide you through your weight loss journey. More detailed information about correct eating behaviours will be covered during your visits with the dietitian.
INITIAL APPOINTMENT/S WITH DIETITIAN (60 mins) - $160
- 1 x 1 hour pre-op consultation with Dietitian - $160 fee (as at 1st Jan 2025)
- 30 mins pre-op Reviews - $90 fee (as at 1st Jan 2025)
- Team Care Arrangements accepted ($61.80 rebate with a TCA as at Jul 2025)
- Detailed evaluation
- Nutritional Assessment of diet and lifestyle
- Discuss surgery and goals
- An individualised pre-surgery menu designed & advice for pre-surgery VLCD diet (Very Low Calorie Diet)
- Discuss texture modification and what to expect during in hospital & post-operative Liquid Diet/ Fluid Phase
- Discuss long-term changes to diet & habits and how to implement changes of diet into lifestyle
- Educate on life-long commitment to Vitamin and mineral supplementation and monitoring
- Translate scientific nutritional information into practical dietary advice
- Ongoing dietary advice and support available
- Review appointment scheduled 1-2 weeks post- surgery
Once your surgery has been booked with Dr Michael Hatzifotis, you will be required to see one of our Dietitians, pre-surgery, who will evaluate your medical history and dietary intake and make a nutritional assessment.
Our Dietitians will design a pre-op menu for you that is individualised and will advise you to follow a very low-calorie liquid meal replacement diet, which will help you to lose weight, particularly from the liver and therefore optimizes the safety of the procedure.
Our Dietitians will offer nutrition counselling and will discuss the different PHASES you will undertake (ie: Fluid phase, Puree phase, Return to Solids phase) and how to manage these changes. They will educate you on what to expect before and after surgery, including dietary & lifestyle changes, managing social settings, changing food behaviours and commitment to Vitamin & mineral supplements.
Our Dietitians offer ongoing dietary advice and support throughout your Weight Loss Surgery journey.
Please allow at least one (1) hour for this initial consultation.
A post-op review appointment will be scheduled for approximately 1- 2 weeks after surgery.
REBATES:
Medicare Team Care Arrangement (TCA) – To be eligible for this Medicare rebate, you will need a referral and Team Care Arrangement from your GP. It is advisable that you discuss your options with your GP and confirm how many sessions will be covered.
Private Health Fund – You may be eligible for a rebate through your Extras cover with your Health Fund. As the levels of Private cover may vary, so do the rebates. To check your eligibility, you will need to contact your Health Fund.
INITIAL APPOINTMENTS WITH OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS
Our Psychologists will provide you with strategies to help you prepare, manage and adapt to the lifestyle changes following surgery.
INITIAL APPOINTMENT/S WITH PSYCHOLOGIST (60mins) - $240
- 1 x approx. 60 min pre-op consultation with Psychologist - $240 fee
- Other 30 min pre-op Reviews - $112.50
- GP Mental Health Care Plans (MHCP) accepted ($98.95 rebate with MHCP as at Jul 2025)
- Team Care Arrangements (TCA) accepted ($61.80 rebate with a TCA as at Jul 2025)
- Completed patient information form and signed privacy consent required
- Discussion about your weight loss goals and surgery
- Discussion about your psychological well being, relationship with food (eg: emotional eating) and physical activity (eg: exercise confidence)
- Personalised strategies to maximise post surgery success
- Ongoing support and guidance available throughout your journey
- Post-surgery Review appointment to help you successfully manage the transition (scheduled for 6 weeks after surgery)
Once your surgery has been booked with Dr Michael Hatzifotis, you will be required to see one of our Psychologists, pre-surgery, who will discuss your weight loss goals and chosen procedure.
Our Psychologists will help you understand your psychological well being, mindset about food and physical activity and how to minimize post surgery risks and to maximise long term results.
Our Psychologists will help you manage the pre & post-op phases of your weight loss journey and are available to provide you with ongoing support, if it would benefit you.
Please allow at least one (1) hour for this consultation.
Your Post-op review appointment will be scheduled for 6 weeks after your surgery. During this appointment, our Psychologists will help you adopt strategies to successfully manage the transition.
REBATES:
Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) – To be eligible for this Medicare rebate, you will need a referral and Mental Health Care Plan from your GP. This care plan allows for 6-10 consultations with the Psychologist per calendar year. It is advisable that you discuss your options with your GP and confirm how many sessions will be covered.
Team Care Arrangement (TCA) – To be eligible for this Medicare rebate, you will need a referral and Team Care Arrangement from your GP. It is advisable that you discuss your options with your GP and confirm how many sessions will be covered.
Private Health Fund Rebate – You may be eligible for a rebate through your Extras cover with your Health Fund. As the levels of Private cover may vary, so do the rebates. To check your eligibility, you will need to contact your Health Fund.
