Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Dietitian, a Nutritionist and a Naturopath?
Quite a lot!
Nutritionists or nutrition specialists are a varied bunch of people. They may have studied at university to get a Bachelor degree in health and nutrition science, or they might have taken and 3 hour course online.
It's difficult to know what qualifications a nutritionist might have, but regardless, a nutritionist is here to provide general nutrition advice that is suitable for healthy members of the public. For example, if you have no health conditions but this you could improve your diet, or lose weight, a nutritionist might be the way to go. Nutritionists should still be following evidence-based recommendations and following the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating principles. Nutritionists are not covered by medicare, DVA, nor most health funds.
Naturopaths are similar to nutritionists, in that they should only be providing general nutrition advice. Naturopath's also provide advice on areas which are not food-related, and some of which may not be supported by scientific evidence.
Dietitians are university qualified nutrition experts. To be a dietitian, a person must hold at a bachelors degree or higher in Dietetics.
Dietitians are trained to understand how the body works and how food interacts with the body, but also what happens to the body when a person is sick, and how nutrition may be impacted as a result, or how nutrition can improve the condition. Dietitians are the only health professional to have this level of diet-related education.
Dietitians only recommend according to evidence-based guidelines, based on large-scale studies, to ensure patients receive the best care. Unlike nutritionists and naturopaths, dietitians can work in hospitals as integral part of the health care team. Appointments with a dietitians may be covered by medicare, DVA or receive rebates from your health fund (depending on your cover). To ensure you are receiving the best quality care, a dietitian is you best option.
How much do appointments cost?
We pride ourselves on our superior standard of care, with clinicians who have undergone additional training to provide you with the best possible care. Additionally, we allow up to 60 minutes for initial appointments, with optional extended review consultations. For these reasons, we are not a bulk billing clinic.
60 minute initial or review: $179
45 minute review:$134
30 minute review: $89
If you are attending with a care plan, a reduced rate is available for the initial consultation only.
As qualified dietitians and diabetes educators, our services are also eligible for rebates via private health funds.
Non-Standard Reporting Fees
The creation of non-standard reports, such as treatment summary reports for hospital admissions or NDIS reports, may incur a separate fee to cover the time spent on report generation. Patient notes and standard doctors letters are provided with no charge and can be faxed or emailed directly to your health professional.
Cancellation Policy
Any cancellation or reschedule made less than 24 hours prior to the consultation will result in a cancellation fee or $30.
If you are more than 10 minutes late to your appointment, we may not be able to accommodate you. In this case, the same cancellation fee will apply. We will do our very best to reschedule your service for another time that is convenient to you.
In the event of an unavoidable emergency, all or part of your cancellation fee may be applied to future services.
Will my dietitian be judgemental and harsh about my current food habits?
There are some common misconceptions about dietitians so let us say from the start: Dietitians LOVE food and are certainly not here to take away all your dietary pleasures!
Some dietitians (especially the ones who trained many years ago) seem to have a "militant" attitude towards diets. We're not like that.
We get it. Change is hard, and we all like tasty food, even if it isn't the best choice for us.
While some situations may require a more vigilant approach to meal planning than others, the aim of a dietitian is, wherever possible, to adapt your current eating patterns to meet your health goals. This means getting a detailed account of what you usually eat, and then discussing healthier options with you.
It does not mean taking away the foods you love. Rest assured, we hate the idea of life without chocolate/wine/chips just as much as the next person.
Do I need to do anything prior to my appointment?
We recommend that you bring a detailed food record for the 5-7 days prior to your appointment. If you are monitoring your blood sugar at home, or experiencing food-related symptoms such as IBS, please keep a log of these as well. You can keep a simple written record, or you can use a phone app to record your food intake. Habits for Health is linked with the Nutritionix app, which allows your dietitian to assess and monitor your food intake remotely.
If you are interested in this service, please let our receptionist know when booking your appointment, PRIOR to signing up for the app. If you choose to record your food intake, please make sure it reflects your usual intake (e.g. don’t record when you are on holiday or don’t restrict your food intake because you are recording).