Appointment FAQs

Rescheduling Appointments and Cancellations

We schedule our appointments weeks in advance and are usually unable to reschedule on short notice. If you must reschedule, email us on reception@wrh.ie as soon as possible. This will allow us to schedule another patient who is waiting to be seen

Late, Cancelled and No-Show Appointments

Late: The appointment time scheduled for you is time specifically allotted for your visit. If you are running late for an appointment, please call our office at 091 342508. Please note if you are more than 15 minutes late for your scheduled appointment time, we may not be able to accommodate your visit.

Cancelled / No Show: If you are unable to keep your appointment we require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. If you repeatedly do not provide our office with 24 hours’ notice, you may be subject to being discharged from our practice.

Rescheduling Appointments

Our clinic is very busy and unfortunately patients often have to wait several months for an appointment. If you need to reschedule your appointment, please email reception@wrh.ie as soon as possible. This will allow us to schedule another patient who is waiting to be seen.

Rheumatologists typically require a letter of referral from another doctor, such as a general practitioner, to ensure that patients are directed to the appropriate specialist for their specific needs. This referral process allows the rheumatologist to receive a clear medical history and relevant test results in advance, streamlining the diagnostic process and facilitating a more accurate and efficient treatment plan.

Involving your GP ensures proper co-ordinated medical care. Additionally, some health insurance providers may require referrals for coverage, reinforcing the importance of this step in the healthcare journey.

It is also in an effort to ensure co-ordinated medical care.

During your first visit, you can expect a thorough review of your medical history, including any previous diagnoses, treatments, and current symptoms. The rheumatologist will perform a detailed physical examination, focusing on your joints, muscles, and any areas of discomfort.

You may be asked about your family medical history and lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise. Depending on your symptoms, the doctor might recommend blood tests, imaging studies (e.g., X-rays, ultrasound), or other diagnostic tests to gain a clearer understanding of your condition.

This visit is also an opportunity to discuss your concerns and develop a personalised treatment plan tailored to your needs.

The appointment usually takes between 30 and 40 minutes depending on the complexity of the medical problem.

We are registered with all Irish health insurance providers including VHI, Laya, Irish Life Health, Garda Medical, and Level Health.

Outpatient visits are paid directly to the clinic at the time of the appointment. A detailed receipt will be provided, which you can use to claim reimbursement from your health insurer, depending on the terms of your policy. We recommend checking with your insurance provider beforehand to confirm your level of coverage for specialist consultations.

We accept credit card payments.

Many Irish health insurers offer direct payment arrangements for outpatient procedures, infusions, and hospital admissions. This means the clinic or hospital can bill the insurer directly for services such as joint injections, biologic infusions, or other specialist treatments. However, coverage depends on your specific policy, and patients may need to pay any shortfalls or excess amounts not covered by their insurer.

As a general rule the more information your bring along the better!

For new patients we will usually have received all of the relevant blood tests and scan results from your GP. If we haven’t received all of the relevant information we will contact you in advance.

Please make sure you bring a full list of your current medication to your appointment.

You will also be sent a registration form. If you could complete this in advance of your appointment and bring it with you on the day it will greatly facilitate registration and save time on the day.

Blood Test Results: If you are on regular rheumatology medications your rheumatologist will advise which blood tests you should have done and the ideal frequency of testing.

Where these blood tests are done with your GP we do not have access to these labs (which are usually processed in a HSE hospital) unless they are sent in advance by your GP, or unless you bring them along with you. Our office staff will usually remind you in advance of your appointment.

Where scans have been performed in either Blackrock Health Galway Clinic, Blackrock Health Limerick Clinic or Briarhill Imaging centre it is usually possible to access scans and reports at the time of your appointment.

Where scans (relevant to your problem) have been done elsewhere (eg HSE hospitals and Bon Secours Hospitals) we will provide you with a letter requesting copies of the relevant scans. Please email us at reception@wrh.ie if you need help.

The clinics usually operate from 8.30am until 3.30pm except on Fridays when we finish by 1pm.

The telephones are manned from 9.00am until 3.00pm each day and on Friday until 12.30pm.

There is a multistory carpark directly opposite the main hospital. It is also possible to drop off outside the main front door of the hospital and wheel chairs are available inside the front door for patients with disabilities.

A full range of blood tests are available in the hospital. The costs associated with these are listed here. Some of the cost associated with these tests can be claimed back form insurers,

Like outpatient consultations you will need to pay for these as your go and submit receipts to your insurer for reimbursement.

The costs of outpatient xrays in Blackrock Health Galway is listed here.

Most MRI scans are covered directly by insurers without a charge made directly to patients. This agreement is subject to certain requirements being met (which varies by insurer).

Some insurers will cover the cost of CT scanning directly but some insurers insist that you pay the cost of the scan up-front and submit a claim to them afterwards.

Your rheumatologist will be very happy to discuss this with you.

Your medical card cannot be used to pay for clinic visits, blood tests, x-rays or MRI scans in a private hospital.

In general your rheumatologist will do everything possible to help you reduce the costs of your medical care to you without jeopardising the quality of care you receive.

Ways of doing this include sharing the care with your GP (so you don’t have to attend your rheumatologist for every problem), trying to co-ordinate blood tests so that they are done in the community with your GP.

Where you need to be referred for an Xray and where cost is an issue for you, you can be referred to a public hospital by your GP.

We regret that patients cannot be seen where outstanding unpaid balances exist. However, we understand that financial difficulties can arise and are always happy to discuss payment options or arrangements. If you are experiencing financial hardship, please speak in confidence with our practice manager Angela Cloherty to explore possible solutions. She is contactable directly on angela@wrh.ie

We are committed to providing the highest standard of care and welcome feedback from our patients. If you have a concern or complaint, please speak in confidence with our practice manager or directly to your rheumatologist. We take all complaints seriously and will work to address any issues promptly and fairly. Our practice manager Angela Cloherty can be contacted in confidence by email on angela@wrh.ie.

We are committed to providing a professional and welcoming environment for all. Whereas we all have bad days, rudeness or disrespect towards our staff cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. We expect all interactions to be courteous, and we appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a positive atmosphere for both patients and staff.