First consultation
Your first visit gives the specialist a clear starting point for your kidney care. We review your history, current concerns and available results, then decide on the next steps after seeing you.
What this first visit is for
Your first consultation is an assessment visit with a kidney specialist at our Pretoria East practice. The aim is to understand why you were referred, review any symptoms or concerns, look at relevant results already available, and decide what further information or follow-up is needed. Some patients come with a doctor referral, while others book directly because of an ongoing kidney concern or a recent change in health.
This visit does not follow a one-size-fits-all script. The specialist decides what needs attention after meeting you and reviewing your records. If dialysis planning or in-centre haemodialysis may become relevant, that is discussed in general terms and then planned properly if needed. If you have an urgent medical problem on the day, go to the nearest emergency unit.
What is included in the consultation
The first visit usually includes a structured discussion, review of your medical background, and an examination where appropriate. The specialist may also review letters from your GP or referring doctor, previous clinic notes, imaging reports and blood or urine results that you bring with you. If more information is needed, follow-up tests or a return visit may be arranged.
- Discussion of your reason for attending and current symptoms
- Review of past kidney-related history and general medical history
- Review of current medicines and recent changes
- Review of available blood tests, urine tests and scan reports
- General examination where needed
- Plan for follow-up, further tests, monitoring or dialysis planning if appropriate
Not every patient will need the same steps, and not every question can be answered fully on the first day if key records are missing. Where decisions depend on missing information the specialist may ask for reports first, then confirm the care plan after that.
How the visit usually runs
On arrival, your booking and contact details are confirmed. You may be asked for referral information, identification and any medical aid details relevant to billing. After that, the consultation proceeds in stages so that the specialist has a full picture before discussing next steps.
- Arrival and check-in
- Confirmation of your details and reason for the visit
- Review of referral notes or direct booking background
- Discussion with the specialist about your medical history and current concerns
- Review of any results, reports and medicine list you brought
- Examination if needed
- Discussion of the immediate plan and whether follow-up is required
If you are coming from Pretoria, Centurion or a surrounding area it helps to arrive with all your paperwork together. That can reduce delays in checking what has already been done and what still needs to be arranged. Some patients prefer to bring a family member for note-taking which can help if there is a lot to remember.
What to prepare before you come
Good preparation makes the first consultation more useful. Please bring what you have, even if the file is incomplete. The specialist can work with partial information, but complete records often make the discussion clearer and may avoid unnecessary repeat admin. If you wear glasses or hearing aids, bring them so communication is easier during the visit.
- Your referral letter, if you were referred by a doctor
- Your identity document or other identification used for booking
- Any available blood test and urine test results
- Scan or imaging reports if these were done previously
- A list of your current medicines and recent changes
- Hospital or clinic discharge summaries if relevant
- Your medical aid details if applicable
- Questions you want to ask during the consultation
If you do not have every document, still come to the appointment unless you have been told otherwise. It is often useful to write down your main concerns beforehand, especially if symptoms have changed over time or if there have been several recent doctor visits. A simple note on your phone is fine, and it helps not to forget something important.
How fees are worked out
Consultation fees are not a flat amount for every patient because the work can differ from one first visit to another. In general terms, billing is based on the type of consultation, the time and complexity involved, and whether there are any additional practice-related charges linked to your visit. If there are forms, reports or follow-up arrangements outside the standard visit, those may be handled separately where applicable.
Accounts and medical aid processing depend on your cover and the rules that apply to your option. Patients are responsible for understanding their own benefits and for any shortfall not paid by their scheme. For practical account queries, use the enquiry form on our contact page and the team will guide you on the process. Exact treatment planning and any related costs are only discussed properly once the specialist has assessed your situation.
After the appointment
After your first consultation, you should leave with a clearer idea of the next step. That may be monitoring over time, further tests, a follow-up consultation, coordination with your GP, or discussion of dialysis planning if appropriate. The specialist decides on care after seeing you and reviewing the available information. No treatment advice should be taken from a general page alone.
If tests or reports are still outstanding, the follow-up plan may depend on those results being available first. Keep copies of new reports where possible and bring them to later visits. If your condition changes suddenly after your consultation, or you develop an urgent problem, go to the nearest emergency unit rather than waiting for a routine reply through the website contact process.
What our Kidney Care customers say
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Questions we get asked
Do I need a referral for my first consultation?
No. Appointments can be booked with a doctor referral or by direct booking. If you have a referral letter, bring it with you because it helps the specialist understand the reason for the visit.
Can treatment be decided at the first visit?
Sometimes the specialist can outline the next step at the first consultation, but this depends on your history and the information available on the day. The specialist decides on care after seeing you and may need further tests or reports first.
What if I feel very unwell before my appointment?
If you have an urgent or emergency problem, go to the nearest emergency unit. Routine appointment pages are not a substitute for emergency care.
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Book a consultation
Send a note through our contact form with your name, whether you have a referral and the kind of appointment you need, and the practice will contact you.
Open the contact form