Dr Rohit Kumar is a specialist plastic surgeon offering the full range of cosmetic and reconstructive breast and body surgery, with a particular focus on body contouring after major weight loss. This page sets out what to include in a referral so your patient’s first consultation, and any Medicare claim, goes smoothly.
Who to refer
Any patient who may benefit from a procedure Dr Kumar performs, including:
- After weight loss: loose or overhanging skin after bariatric surgery, weight-loss medication or diet, including panniculectomy, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), fleur-de-lis abdominoplasty, lower and upper body lift, arm lift, thigh lift, buttock lift, monsplasty, and breast and male chest surgery after weight loss
- Breast: breast reduction for symptomatic hypertrophy, breast lift, breast asymmetry and tuberous breast correction, implant removal or revision (including concerns about implant rupture or BIA-ALCL), breast augmentation, nipple and areola surgery, and gynaecomastia
- Body: abdominoplasty and rectus diastasis repair after pregnancy, post-pregnancy surgery, liposuction, labiaplasty and body contouring for men
- Reconstructive: skin cancer surgery and scar revision
The full list is on the procedures page. For weight-loss patients, Dr Kumar can see them at any stage of their weight-loss journey; surgery is usually planned once weight has been stable for at least three months.
What to include in the referral
A referral addressed to Dr Rohit Kumar is needed for the Medicare rebate on the consultation and for any Medicare item to apply to surgery. A GP referral is valid for 12 months. These details help your patient meet the Medicare criteria:
- Weight history: highest weight or BMI, current weight or BMI, and how long weight has been stable. The skin-removal items require a loss of at least five BMI points and weight stable for at least six months at the date of surgery.
- Skin problems: intertrigo, ulceration or infection under the apron or skin folds, with dates and treatments tried. Items 30177 and 30179 require a skin condition that has not settled after three months of treatment, and interference with daily activities.
- Functional problems: difficulty walking, exercising, working or with hygiene caused by the excess skin (items 30166 and 30169).
- Breast reduction: symptoms and their duration, treatments tried, bra size and any relevant imaging (items 45520 and 45523).
- Bariatric history: procedure, date and surgeon, where relevant.
- Medical history: diabetes control, anticoagulant or antiplatelet use, smoking or vaping status, and current weight-loss medication.
What happens next
- A nurse from Dr Kumar’s team calls the patient once the consultation is booked, takes a history and lists the records to bring.
- The patient sees Dr Kumar for a 90-minute consultation (60 minutes for single-area, non-weight-loss concerns) at Westmead, Penrith or Orange, or by video for patients who live further away.
- You receive a letter after the consultation with the assessment and plan.
- Before surgery, patients see Dr Kumar’s dietitian and have a DEXA body-composition scan where appropriate.
- After surgery you receive a post-operative plan covering dressings, drains, garments and review dates. Dr Kumar’s nurses manage dressings and drains, and follow-up continues to twelve months.
Nicotine
All nicotine, including vapes, patches and gum, must stop at least eight weeks before and after body contouring after weight loss, and six weeks before and after other procedures. Support with cessation before referral, or alongside it, shortens the time to surgery.
Where Dr Kumar consults and operates
- Westmead rooms. Body contouring after weight loss is performed at Westmead Private Hospital.
- Penrith rooms at the Somerset Specialist Centre, Kingswood. Day surgery at Somerset Private Hospital.
- Orange rooms for Central West patients, with surgery in Sydney and follow-up in Orange.
Sending a referral
Email referrals to info@drkumar.com.au, fax them to (02) 9572 7726, send them with the patient, or call Dr Kumar’s team on 1300 267 726 to discuss a patient. Medicare item numbers and their criteria are explained for patients on the cost of skin removal surgery page, and risks on the risks and considerations page.
All surgery carries risk. Individual results vary.
Dr Rohit Kumar (MED0001630444) Registered medical practitioner, specialist plastic surgeon (specialist registration in surgery – plastic surgery)
