Frequently asked questions about integrative oncology
Naturopathy is a form of Evidence Based Complementary Medicine employing a wide range of natural treatments including Western Herbal Medicine, Nutritional Medicine, and diet and lifestyle interventions. Naturopathic practice is based on supporting the body's inherent healing abilities and treating the person as a whole, rather than just focusing on symptoms or disease conditions.
In Oncology Care, our goals include reducing the side effects of your medical treatments, enhancing the effects of chemotherapy and other treatments, reducing risk of recurrence, and supporting you.
- Clinical Nutritionist Services
- Psycho-Oncology Services
- Oncology Massage, Remedial Massage, Lymphatic Drainage Massage
- Acupuncture
- Workshops, meditation and support groups
For more information click on the 'OUR SERVICES' tab at the top of this page
Please call reception on (03) 9571 7498. Our receptionists will be able to explain the process and book you in for an appointment. Alternatively, to help us understand your current situation, we ask new patients to complete the Online New Patient Request Form.
The majority of our consultations with our Naturopaths & Nutritionist are done online via Zoom or face to face in the clinic. You will be sent a personalised Zoom link upon booking your initial appointment. Please keep this link somewhere safe, as you will use it for follow up consultations.
We also offer telephone consultations. Please discuss your preferences with Reception.
In order to respect each other's time, we ask that you please make all efforts to confirm your appointment with us.
If you need to cancel an appointment, we ask that you provide 48-hours notice. If we have not heard from you, we will give you a courtesy call. If your appointment is not needed, we have a waitlist and would like to offer your appointment time to someone else.
Whilst we understand that unexpected things can happen in an oncology environment, we appreciate as much notice as possible. In the event of a late cancellation i.e. cancelling on the day of your scheduled appointment or failing to attend, you will be charged a cancellation fee of 100% of the appointment time.
Please call Reception on (03) 95717498 to cancel any appointments. We do not accept cancellations over text or overnight email so as to limit confusion.
The initial consultation is a detailed client history and information gathering session and an opportunity for your practitioner to learn as much as they can about your current health status, cancer type, past, present or future treatment options, medical team, and current health and lifestyle habits. This also includes previous treatments and any current medications that you may be taking.
Due to the complex nature of Integrative Oncology, there are no prescription recommendations made at this stage. Your practitioner may however recommend further testing at this point.
If you then wish to proceed with a Personalised Integrative Oncology Report, it is paid for upfront, after the Initial Consultation Fee.
Before you come to the initial consultation, we ask that you gather as much information as possible about your health status including: blood tests, X-ray / MRI / CT scans and reports, pathology reports, surgery reports or any other documentation that may be relevant.
Please email them through to the clinic at the address: info@miog.com.au
In the event that you do not have any of this documentation, we are able to request these with your signed authority form.
An ‘Authority to Release Medical Information Form’ (ATRMI) is a standardised form that allows MIOG to receive a copy of your medical records on your behalf. We want to make the process easier for you, and having a completed ATRMI means that we can access your blood tests and imaging in a timely manner for your benefit.
* Please note - GP's, Pathology & Imaging Centres do not automatically send information to MIOG whenever you have new tests done. If you are an ongoing patient and would like us to get a copy of new results for discussion in your consultation, please let Reception know 48 hours prior to your appointment.
Alternatively, if you have a copy you are welcome to email us at info@miog.com.au
A MIOG Personalised Integrative Oncology Report is very comprehensive and can take anywhere between 3-7 hours to prepare. It is created specifically for you as an individual but also the type of cancer that you have.
The Report generally includes:
* information about your cancer type and it's hallmarks
* dietary recommendations
* specific functional foods indicated for your cancer type
* evidence-based complementary medicines useful in your presentation and with your conventional treatment regime.
* details of any warnings or contraindications with your treatment
* other useful therapies and services
* information for carers and more.
Please refer to our current Consultation Rates sheet (June 2023)
Once you have paid for a personalised Report, the data analysis and preparation of this plan begin.
A 60 minute Report Presentation consultation is included. During this time the Report is presented to you in detail and you can ask any questions you might have.
Any required supplements or follow-up appointments after this are at an additional cost.
No, supplements are an additional cost to the Report.
Each patients’ requirements are different and therefore we are unable to include a standard supplement range in a Report.
To ensure there are no contraindications or adverse effects with your cancer treatment, all MIOG practitioners spend a considerable amount of time researching which supplements are right for you and your cancer type. MIOG have developed an extensive database of interactions research over the last 20 years.
However, some Oncologists while being cautious and having limited knowledge of integrative supplements may prefer that you only use pharmaceutical treatments.
Should this occur there are a few options:
* You can ask your MIOG practitioner to provide you with research supporting your prescription to share with your Oncologist.
* You can obtain a second opinion from another Oncologist.
* You can follow your Oncologists direction and choose not to take the prescribed supplements.
* Supplements can be taken on non-treatment days as ‘pulse-therapy’
We do prefer an open forum of communication with your Health Care team and work together using evidence-based complementary interventions to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.
If your treatment changes it is important that you let your practitioner know as soon as possible as your Report will need to be reviewed. This is to ensure that your new treatment does not have any contraindications with your existing MIOG prescription. This review takes the practitioner between 1-2 hours and costs $220 per hour for Naturopathy and $170 per hour for Nutrition. We are unable to advise about any contraindications over the phone or via email outside of a consultation.
Continuity of care is important for optimal outcomes, and our approach is long term and supportive. It is important we work together regularly to achieve the best and most timely support for you. It is vital that we stay abreast of any treatment or symptom changes in order to adjust dosing and ensure ongoing safety, suitability and efficacy.
Frequency of follow-up appointments is very individual and depends on whether or not you are in active treatment.
If in active treatment, generally we recommend a follow-up consultation between each chemotherapy or radiotherapy cycle. This allows us to address any accumulating side effects of your oncology treatment and tailor your prescription accordingly. These appointments very between 15 minutes — 1 hour depending on your individual needs.
Once you have completed your treatment, your practitioner will recommend the frequency for follow-up maintenance consultations.
*Please note — These appointment are not included in your Personalised Integrative Report. Please refer to our Consultation Rates.
If appropriate, our practitioners will prescribe "Practitioner only' high-quality nutrients and herbal preparations. We have a naturopathic dispensary, which stocks the supplements that you may require.
We offer express postage via Australia Post for all patients that are unable to collect their supplements.
We prescribe ‘Practitioner Only” quality supplements that are recommended at evidence-based therapeutic doses relating to the needs of the individual.
Supplement costs typically range between approximately $200-400 per month but this is highly variable depending on current treatment and cancer type. All supplementation is optional. If required our practitioners can prioritise the most important supplements and accommodate any budget.
We endeavour to keep a full dispensary however sometimes like all businesses we experience supply issues. To alleviate this, our practitioners may prescribe two suitable options on a Report. If a supplement on your prescribed list is out of stock, we can notify you when the product arrives back in stock.
If receiving your order by post, once packaged and taken to the Post Office, we will not be able to change the order.
Under current Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requirements we are unable to accept returns on any of our supplement products if your item is change of mind, or if your treatment changes.
If in the rare circumstance a product has a fault please bring it to our attention as soon as possible so we are able to address this with the manufacturer.
We do not store any payment information made by credit card or 3rd party payment systems such as Square. This does mean that we cannot take payments automatically, but payments need to be done after service completion or product purchase in person, over the phone or via online invoice.
Online ordering is not available at this time.
If you would like to order prescription supplements over the phone, please call us on (03) 9571 7498.
We offer Australia-wide postage via Australia Post. In some cases we can post overseas for an additional cost.
We recommend insurance cover on all packages with a value of over $100. Lost and damaged parcels are not covered by Australia Post as per their website Terms & Conditions.
Yes. If this is something you would like, please let Reception know when placing your order. You will receive a tracking number after your order has been posted.
The transit time depends on your location. We use Australia Post Express for all deliveries within Australia. Australia Post has a commitment for capital city delivery within 48 hours. Most other Australian places vary between 3-7 business days.
Delayed delivery has been experienced when Australia Post staff and services have been affected by Covid or busy periods such as Christmas.
If we have been provided with the correct address, patients need to address this directly with the service provider, Australia Post. MIOG has no say or responsibility of third party providers. We recommending purchasing optional Australia Post insurance at the time you place your order to cover you in the event if lost goods.
Yes, our clinic is located at 769 South Road, Bentleigh East 3165.
If you wish to pick up your order, please let Reception know when you might be coming so that we have your order ready for you.
Our practitioners are happy to work with your Oncologist and any other Allied Health practitioners that are caring for you. We will seek your approval before doing so.
It is important to note - not all Oncologists feel comfortable working with Integrative practitioners, therefore it is always best to speak with your Oncologist about this. If an Oncologist is not willing to work with Integrative practitioners, your MIOG practitioner can and will still support you through your oncology experience.
The MIOG team is collaborative, and all clinical staff participate in regular Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings. Referrals to other practitioners within MIOG may be appropriate depending on the level of support required. Some types of cancer require specific or restrictive diets that must be tailored to the individual, or particular patients may benefit from Acupuncture and/or Oncology Massage.
Both our Nutritionists and Naturopaths work directly with evidence-based diet, lifestyle and complementary medicines to support patients. The main difference between them is that Naturopaths can also use the powerful properties of herbal medicine and Nutritionists can help with more specific diet advice and meal plans.
Nutritionists and Dieticians both practice evidence-based medicine and hold the same overarching vision — healthy food equates to better health. Dieticians have the important role of working in hospitals, private practice, nursing homes and community settings to ensure basic nutritional needs are met. Their consultations are normally Medicare Bulk Billed.
Nutritionists mostly work in allied health medical clinics and private practice (such as MIOG) and are able to provide tailored nutritional advice for patients based upon their needs. They practise very personalised medicine, take into account not only macronutrient requirements but also micronutrient requirements and the use of food-as-medicine.
Initially the first feeling is relaxation as the muscles feel warm and the body feels less tight. The aroma of the cedar takes your mind away to a forest environment when you close your eyes. Then as time goes on in the session, an effortless and healthy detoxifying sweat takes place. Afterwards, you feel fresh and revitalised.
You may wear a bathing suit or underwear, however we will provide a towel for you to wrap around you in the sauna. Bring comfortable clothing to change back into after the sauna has finished.
Bring your water bottle and comfortable clothes. We will provide towels.
Please note: Your mobile device is not permitted inside the sauna as it may become damaged by infrared heat.
We definitely recommend an infrared sauna immediately before a massage. This relaxes the muscles and allows a deeper and more restorative therapeutic outcome from your massage appointment.
Yes, absolutely – we can schedule a hyperbaric session before your infrared sauna for a doubly revitalising therapeutic experience.
Yes, sharing the experience is a whole lot of fun - bring a friend for only $15.
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