Yes. A GP referral is required for an appointment with Dr David Kitchen and allows you to claim the relevant Medicare rebate for your specialist consultation. Ask your GP to address the referral to Dr David Kitchen, Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Yes. If you would like Dr Kitchen to assess your hip or knee, you can ask your GP to direct the referral to him.

Your GP may send the referral electronically. If you receive a copy yourself, contact Dr Kitchen’s rooms and the team can explain how to forward it and arrange your appointment.

Once the referral is received, the team reviews the information and contacts you to arrange a suitable appointment time and consulting location.

If you are unsure if the referral has arrived, you can call the rooms on (08) 8130 1228 to check.

Not necessarily. If your GP has already arranged X-rays, an MRI, CT scan or other imaging, bring the images and reports with you.

You do not need to organise extra scans yourself unless your GP or Dr Kitchen’s rooms have asked you to. After assessing your symptoms and existing imaging, further scans may be requested if they are needed.

Bring any recent X-rays, MRI scans, CT scans or imaging reports you have, along with a list of your current medications and relevant medical or surgical history.

You should also bring your Medicare card and private health insurance details if you have cover.

It helps to think about what your hip or knee is actually stopping you from doing. Is walking becoming harder? Are you waking at night? Have you stopped playing golf, running or going to the gym? Are stairs, work or getting in and out of the car becoming frustrating?

Those details help Dr Kitchen understand how the problem is affecting you day to day, not just what appears on a scan.

Your first appointment is a chance to work out what may be causing your symptoms and what your options are from here.

Dr Kitchen will ask about your pain, stiffness, injury or other symptoms, review your imaging and medical history, and examine your hip or knee. He will also ask what you would like to get back to doing.

Treatment options can then be discussed based on your symptoms, examination, imaging, health and goals.

No. A specialist consultation is not a commitment to surgery. It is a chance to identify the cause of the problem, review your imaging, and discuss the available non-surgical and surgical options.

You may be advised to continue physiotherapy, strengthening exercises, medication, activity changes, or another non-surgical treatment. If surgery is being considered, Dr Kitchen will explain why it may be an option, what the procedure involves, the risks and what recovery may look like.

Dr Kitchen consults privately at:

sportsmed Stepney Healthcare Hub
32 Payneham Road, Stepney SA 5069

sportsmed Henley Beach
225 Military Road, Henley Beach SA 5022

The Specialist Clinic, Port Pirie
The Terrace & Alexander Street, Port Pirie SA 5540.

Where does Dr David Kitchen operate?

Dr Kitchen performs private surgical procedures at Burnside Hospital Stepney, Ashford Hospital, Western Hospital and Port Pirie Hospital.