Admissions

Before any procedure you will need to see your GP who will provide you with a referral letter to see the Specialist. On the day of your consult the Specialist will explain the type of procedure you will be having and discuss with you how to prepare for your procedure. A date for your procedure will be made on the day by the Specialist and our friendly staff will make the booking for you.

If you are seeing a Specialist from outside of the Centre and they are referring you to Healthwoods Endoscopy Centre for a procedure, please contact us on 02 9897 9999 to make a booking. All patients having a Specialist consult at the Centre, our reception staff will make an appointment for your procedure on the day.

Information Brochures

Our reception staff will provide you with information brochures on the day of consultation and procedure. Please take the opportunity to read the information as this will help guide you through the process when having a procedure.

Cost of Procedures & Payment

Insured Patients

We have agreements with all major health funds. Patients with a health fund may be required to pay an excess or co-payment as set by your health fund. All patients will be advised of all out-of-pocket costs at the time of making their appointment.

• All out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. excess or co-payments) are payable at the time of admission.
• Payment can be made by cash, credit card or EFTPOS.
• The Gastroenterologist/Surgeon and Anaesthetist will invoice your health fund directly.

Uninsured Patients

Patients with no health card and Medicare card only the medical procedure is bulk billed. All patients will be advised of all out-of-pocket costs at the time of making their appointment.

• There is an out-of-pocket fee to cover any non-rebated facility costs. Please refer to our pricing sheet for non-rebated out-of-pocket costs.
• The Gastroenterologist/Surgeon and Anaesthetist fee is Bulk Billed.
• Payment can be made by cash, cheque, credit card, EFTPOS or afterpay

Overseas Patients

• Please contact the Centre for pricing details.

DVA Patients

• Healthwoods Endoscopy Centre will lodge a claim on your behalf.

What to expect during the procedure

Booking Time and Procedure time

Please be aware that your appointment time is not your procedure time. Before a patient is admitted for their procedure there is necessary paper work that needs to be completed before you go into theatre. Please note that your procedure could be cancelled on the day if you do not have someone to take you home after your procedure.

Expected Times

Your stay with us could be at least 3 to 4 hours long. Please see below our guideline of expected average time frames

• 15 minutes: Administration - Reception staff to process your paperwork on arrival
• 15 minutes: Nurse admission to gather information about your medical history and prepare you for theatre
• 3 - 45 minutes: Waiting time for entering theatre
• 15 - 45 minutes: Procedure time in theatre
• 30 - 45 minutes: Recovery - Waking up after your procedure
• 30 minutes: Post recovery stage/discharge

What to Expect on Arrival

On arrival at reception you will need to complete the necessary paperwork. We ask that you read and fill out the forms to ensure all the information is correct. Once your paperwork has been processed, our reception staff will escort you to the admissions nurse. The nurse will check your medical form that you would have completed earlier and prepare you for theatre. At any time, please let us know if there is anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable.

What to bring on the day

On the day of consultation or procedure bring with you the following information as applicable to you:

• Name and contact details of your next-of-kin and a second local contact person
• Name and contact details of your General Practitioner
• Medicare card
• Department of Veterans' Affairs card
• Pension card
• Health Care card
• Safety Net or Concession card
• Private health insurance membership card
• Health history and a list of current medications

Getting Ready for Hospital

In preparation for your procedure on the day:

• Please shower at home before coming to hospital
• Don’t apply talcum powder, deodorant, make-up, nail polish, etc.
• Wear loose and comfortable clothing
• Please advise your admitting Doctor of your current medications and confirm if you should continue to take these medications prior to your Admission
• A personal entertainment device or book to read

Please do not bring the following items:

• Jewellery
• Large sums of money
• Other valuables

What to Expect during Theatre

Endoscopy procedures only require light sedation in order to make you pleasantly drowsy yet comfortable enough to be asleep for the Doctor to perform the procedure. Before the procedure starts a sedative drug is given to you via a needle that is inserted into your arm. This wold probably be the most uncomfortable pain experienced while have a procedure.

After your procedure, you’ll be made comfortable and transferred to recovered stage where you are monitored until you’ve fully recovered.

Preparing for your Procedure

Morning and Afternoon Colonoscopy

Preparation for a colonoscopy usually involves drinking a special “bowel prep” consisting of a large volume of a special cleansing solution and possibly some special oral laxatives. Each Specialist or Endoscopist has their own dietary restrictions and appropriate bowel cleansing routine suitable for their patients.

It is very important that the colon is completely clean so that the procedure is safe, accurate, and complete. The exact details of the bowel preparation will be provided to you by the Specialist on the day of consult. If you are unsure about your bowel preparation, please contact the Centre.

Gastroscopy

The best and safest way to do the test is on an empty stomach. You should have nothing to eat or drink, including water, for approximately six hours before the procedure.

If you are on some essential medications you may be able to take them with a small sip of water only after consulting your Specialist performing the gastroscopy.

If you are having an afternoon procedure, you may have an early morning light breakfast as long as you have nothing to eat or drink six hours before the procedure.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure that allows your doctor to examine the rectum and the lower (sigmoid) colon. A colonoscope which is a flexible tube about the thickness of a finger is used to perform a flexi-sigmoidoscopy. It is inserted gently into the anus and advanced slowly into the rectum and the lower colon. Preparation for this procedure would normally involve having a fleet enema on the day of the procedure.

Capsule Endoscopy

Capsule endoscopy is the best way to examine the lining of the small bowel (intestine). This is the part of the gastrointestinal tract that extends from the stomach to the large colon.

How does small bowel capsule endoscopy work?

Capsule endoscopy is a day procedure and no sedation or anaesthetic is required. Prior to the procedure a patient takes bowel preparation to empty the small bowel of food.

The pill-sized capsule or pill cam is swallowed and painlessly travels through the oesophagus, stomach, small bowel and ended in caecum. The pill cam travels along the colon transmitting images over seven hours. These images are recorded by a data recorder which is worn in a pouch over your shoulder and attached to a sensor belt that is worn firmly around your waist.

Is small bowel capsule endoscopy safe?

This test is painless and non-invasive, allowing patients to go about their normal activities while the test is taking place. Side effects are rare which can include the capsule becoming stuck in a narrowed part of the bowel. If this is the case we advise a patient to have an x-ray if the pill cam has not passed through the body over 2 days.

Is capsule endoscopy safe?

Our capsule endoscopy team are professional and experienced in performing capsule endoscopy procedures. A registered nurse will prepare you for your capsule endoscopy and provide you with instructions on what to do on the day and after the procedure. The Specialist or Endoscopist will refer you to our Centre where our staff will make an appointment for you to see our capsule endoscopy nurse.

Patient Feedback

We welcome any feedback about our service that will make improvement to the delivery of service and patient care. If want to pass on a compliment or provide feedback to help improve our service, we encourage you to speak with our nursing or reception staff.

For more information, refer to Your Rights or the Patient Feedback page.

Discharge

While you waiting to go home you will be given light refreshments after your procedure. The doctor will see to discuss your results and provide you with a report and a prescription for any medications you need to take.

On admission you would have received a discharge information procedure. This will provide you with details on what to expect before going home. Our nursing staff will check before you go home to ensure you have your discharge information. If you have any questions or not sure what to do, please ask our nursing staff and they will happily go over your discharge instructions.

Getting Home

Please note that your procedure could be cancelled on the day if you do not have someone to take you home after your procedure.

• On the day of your procedure you will need to arrange to organise a responsible adult to pick you up to take you home.
• Staff will contact the person who is picking you up when you are ready to go home.
• Transportation home by taxi is not permitted without a responsible adult who accepts responsibility to take you home.
• For your own comfort and safety, you shouldn’t take any alcoholic beverage for at least 24 hours after discharge.
• After sedation, patients should not drive any motor vehicle, operate machinery or make any important decisions for at least 24 hours.
• Special arrangements can be made to assist DVA patients to get you home safely after their hospital stay.