I'm coming from the Central Highlands — can the consult, imaging and surgery booking be done on a single trip?

Where the diagnosis is clear and surgery is the next step, the practice tries to coordinate the consultation, surgical booking and pre-admission paperwork into one visit so Central Highlands patients are not making the three-hour drive multiple times. Imaging from Emerald, Capella, Blackwater and surrounding centres can be reviewed electronically before the consult so the visit is informed before the patient arrives.

Does Dr Hirpara consult in Emerald or Blackwater?

No. Dr Hirpara consults only at the rooms at Mater Private Hospital Rockhampton. Patients from Emerald, Capella, Blackwater, Tieri, Clermont, Springsure and surrounding communities travel to Rockhampton for consultation and any subsequent surgery. Where travel is genuinely a barrier, telehealth post-operative review can be arranged after the first in-person review.

Patients from Emerald

Hand & shoulder surgeon
for Emerald

Specialist upper limb care for Emerald and the Central Highlands — Emerald and the Central Highlands sit roughly three hours west of Rockhampton along the Capricorn Highway.

Drive time about 3 hours west · Distance approximately 270 km

Why patients travel

From Emerald to the rooms

Patients from the Central Highlands — Emerald, Capella, Blackwater, Tieri, Clermont and the surrounding mining and agricultural communities — travel a long way to be seen, and the practice schedules accordingly. Where the diagnosis and surgical plan can be made on a single visit, the practice tries to coordinate the consult, surgery booking and pre-admission paperwork on the same trip.

Patients from Emerald are commonly seen for rotator cuff repair, shoulder replacement, carpal tunnel surgery, trigger finger release, Dupuytren's surgery, thumb joint replacement and the full range of shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand surgery. Fee structure, Medicare rebates and the surgery-quote process are on the fees page.

Not sure what's wrong?

Start with the symptom

If you haven't had a diagnosis yet, our symptom guides help narrow down what's causing the problem before your appointment.

Catchment

Towns and suburbs we see patients from

Referrals reach the practice from across the Emerald and the Central Highlands region. Specifically:

Emerald
Capella
Tieri
Blackwater
Dingo
Springsure
Clermont
Rolleston
Anakie
Sapphire

If you are elsewhere in the region — please ring the practice; the catchment is not strictly defined.

The trip

Getting to The Range

The Capricorn Highway is the direct east–west route. Allow three hours from Emerald and add fifteen to thirty minutes for stops; from Clermont or Rolleston the trip is closer to four hours.

On-site parking is available at the Mater, with a closer carpark via I-MED Radiology on Spencer Street. Full directions and a map are on the visit page.

Get directions in Google Maps

Imaging, therapy & scheduling

Designed around the distance

Imaging Imaging from the Central Highlands (Emerald Hospital and visiting providers) can be requested or shared electronically so the consult is informed before the patient arrives.
Post-operative therapy Post-operative therapy in the Central Highlands is more limited than on the coast; the practice will work with whichever local provider is available.
Scheduling In-person review is preferred where the patient can travel; telehealth post-operative review can be arranged for Central Highlands patients where the protocol allows it and travel is genuinely a barrier.

Common questions

From Emerald — answered

I'm coming from the Central Highlands — can the consult, imaging and surgery booking be done on a single trip?: Where the diagnosis is clear and surgery is the next step, the practice tries to coordinate the consultation, surgical booking and pre-admission paperwork into one visit so Central Highlands patients are not making the three-hour drive multiple times. Imaging from Emerald, Capella, Blackwater and surrounding centres can be reviewed electronically before the consult so the visit is informed before the patient arrives.
Does Dr Hirpara consult in Emerald or Blackwater?: No. Dr Hirpara consults only at the rooms at Mater Private Hospital Rockhampton. Patients from Emerald, Capella, Blackwater, Tieri, Clermont, Springsure and surrounding communities travel to Rockhampton for consultation and any subsequent surgery. Where travel is genuinely a barrier, telehealth post-operative review can be arranged after the first in-person review.

Other catchments