Phototherapy Services

ALBANY SKIN CLINIC

PATIENT INFORMATION

What is Phototherapy?

Phototherapy is also called light therapy and involves regularly exposing diseased skin to a medical light source. This is a safe, effective and convenient treatment for a variety of skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. This is done under the supervision of the skin clinic doctors and nurses. The light therapy offered at Pioneer Health is referred to as a “narrow-band UVB”. This is the safest and the most effective light therapy for most skin conditions. It is important to note that indoor tanning beds are NOT a substitute for phototherapy performed with a prescription and under a doctor’s supervision. Pioneer Health Albany does not support the use of indoor tanning as it raises the risk of melanoma.

Phototherapy is used to treat

Psoriasis

Eczema

Vitiligo

Who can benefit from Phototherapy?

Phototherapy is a well established and effective treatment for a range of skin conditions, but most commonly is used to treat psoriasis and eczema. There are many other conditions that also benefit from phototherapy, and your skin clinic doctor will advise if phototherapy is useful for your condition and what other options are available for you.

What should I expect with Phototherapy?

During your visit you will stand in the light cabinet undressed, except for underwear and protective goggles. To be effective, phototherapy generally requires 3 treatments per week at the practice, with each treatment lasting about 1 minute.

A typical phototherapy course for psoriasis consists of 12 weeks of treatment, though some patients benefit from shorter or longer treatment schedules depending on their condition. Please note that response to treatment is not rapid. 4-6 weeks of steady treatment is required to see improvements. Like any medical treatment there are potential risks to phototherapy. These risks will be discussed with you at the time of your initial assessment. Eye protection must be worn with every treatment to prevent damage to the eyes (this will be provided by the practice).

Patient Pathway

Induction Session

Once you have consented to UVB therapy, you will have an induction session with a UVB nurse.

Teleconference with Dermatologist

UVB Coordinator will contact you within a few days of your induction session to book your teleconference appointment with a dermatologist. Once we have received the report from the dermatologist, our Coordinator will contact you to book your first UVB Session.

Treatment Session 1

Your first UVB session will generally be with our Lead UVB Nurse. At this session, the nurse will make sure that you have a dermatology review, consent and a protocol on file before proceeding.

Ongoing treatment

All your remaining UVB sessions will be booked by Lead UVB Nurse at your first session.

Review with Skin Clinic GP

You will be scheduled for a review with your skin clinic GP six weeks after commencement of therapy.

Dermatology Review

The dermatologist will have specified a date that you are approved to have UVB until (usually between 6- 12 months). You will need a review via teleconference with a dermatologist before that date in order to continue UVB therapy sessions under Medicare.

How can I access Phototherapy?

If you wish to consider phototherapy, or have been referred for phototherapy, we encourage you to make an appointment at the Albany Skin Clinic. The doctors who provide phototherapy are Dr John Rowlands, Dr David Tadj, and Dr James Turner. You will have an initial assessment of your skin condition and other past health problems. The doctor will establish whether phototherapy will be a suitable and safe treatment for you. You will then be referred to a specialist dermatologist who you will need to have an initial consultation with, followed by review appointments during your phototherapy treatment regime. The doctor will then provide you with a personalised phototherapy prescription, taking into account your skin type. You will receive detailed information and instructions about your phototherapy, including scheduling and potential adverse effects, before commencing your treatment.

What does Phototherapy cost?


GP Consultations	Appointments with our Skin Clinic GPs will be billed as Level C or D consult. See our fees for consultation pricing.
Program fee	There is a program fee of $160 to be paid before commencement of your therapy.
Individual UVB Therapy sessions	If you have approval from a dermatologist to undergo UVB treatment (Step 2 in the Patient Pathway), UVB sessions are bulk-billed.
Dermatologist fee	There will be out-of-pocket fees for teleconference reviews with a dermatologist.

ALBANY SKIN CLINIC