What is a Cardiologist?
Cardiologists are doctors who specialise in diagnosing and treating diseases or conditions of the heart and blood vessels—the cardiovascular system. You might also visit a cardiologist so you can learn about your risk factors for heart disease and find out what measures you can take for better heart health.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes, our clinics require you to make an appointment. Please contact the main rooms on 03 9964 4848 or lodge a form via our website.
Do I need a referral?
Yes, you must obtain a referral BEFORE your procedure or consultation. Referrals can be obtained from your GP or your specialist for diagnostic procedures and consultations. This will outline the purpose for your visit and any medical difficulties you have been experiencing. A specialist referral will be valid for 3 months. A GP referral will be valid for 12 months unless otherwise specified. You must have a current referral to receive your Medicare rebate. This is the responsibility of the patient.
What to expect at your initial Consultation:
When you arrive, please attend the reception desk and give them your completed patient registration form. The appointment will take approximately 30 minutes. A family member or support person are welcome to attend this informative appointment if you would like them to be part of the any decision making processes. Your specialist will consult with you, may perform an ECG and recommend further tests.
What to expect after your initial consultation:
After completing any relevant tests, your specialist will analyse the results and meet with you again to discuss and explain your treatment options or care plan.
What to bring to your first appointment:
Please bring the following information to your first consultation·Letter of referral from your GP or referring doctor
Medicare / Pension / Veteran Affairs Card·Private health insurance details (if applicable)
List of current medications·General practitioner details (name, address, telephone number)
Relevant scans / x-rays / blood test results or recent discharge summaries
As these are private consulting rooms there is an ‘out of pocket’ cost after the rebate has been claimed from Medicare. Please see pricing and rebate details on your new patient registration form. In order to claim from Medicare, it is essential to ensure that you bring with you a current letter of referral from your general practitioner or referring specialist when seeing your specialist
How long is a referral valid?
A specialist referral will be valid for 3 months.
A GP referral will be valid for 12 months unless otherwise specified. You must have a current referral to receive your Medicare rebate. This is the responsibility of the patient.
Getting here
Please visit our locations tab on the website for directions https://www.cardiologygroup.com.au/locations
How do I cancel or change my appointment?
Please call the rooms on 03 9964 4848 between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday if you need to cancel or change an appointment. We ask that you advise us as soon as you know you have another commitment preferably with 24 hours advance notice.
What is an Echocardiogram?
An Echocardiogram is a test that uses ultrasound to assess the structure and function of the heart. You will be required to remove all your clothing from the waist up. The Echocardiographer will place some small dots on your chest to monitor your heart rate and place an ultrasound probe and gel at various places on your chest. During the study you will hear noises which reflect the blood flow through your heart. Ultrasound is a safe modality, and does not pose any risks to the patient. The test can take between 30 and 45 minutes and there are no special requirements before the test.
What is an Exercise Stress Echocardiogram?
An Exercise Stress Echocardiogram requires you to exercise for a short period on a treadmill while your heart rhythm and blood pressure is being monitored. Ultrasound images will be taken of the heart before and after exercise. This allows the Cardiologist to assess for any changes in your hearts function at rest, and at exercise that might indicate disease.
What is an Exercise Stress ECG?
An exercise stress ECG is used to measure the effect of exercise on your heart. The technician will place electrodes on your chest. These patches are attached to an ECG monitor that follows the electrical activity of your heart during the test. In the presence of a cardiologist, you will walk on a treadmill, slowly with the speed and incline increasing every 3 minutes to a level you are comfortable and capable of exercising at, similar to walking fast or jogging up a hill. While you exercise, the activity of your heart is measured with an electrocardiogram (ECG). Your blood pressure readings are also taken.
What is a 24 hour Holter Monitor?
A Holter Monitoris essentially an ECG, or a reading of the electrical activity of the heart, which records continuously throughout the monitoring period. A technician will place ECG electrodes on your chest, and attach a monitor which is similar in size to a modern smart-phone. The monitor will be attached by a belt around your waist. It will take approximately 15 minutes to fit the monitor, and 10 minutes for removal or you may remove yourself as advised by the technician. This test is only available at selected locations.
What is a Tilt Table Test?
A tilt table test (TTT), occasionally called upright tilt testing (UTT), is a medical procedure often used to diagnose dysautonomia or syncope. Patients with symptoms of dizziness or light headedness, with or without a loss of consciousness (fainting), suspected to be associated with a drop in blood pressure or positional tachycardia are good candidates for this test. The tilt table test looks for causes of syncope by attempting to induce the symptoms by having the patient lie flat on a special table or bed while being monitored with an ECG and a blood pressure monitor which measures continuously, beat to beat, non-invasively. The table then creates a change in posture from lying to standing.
What is an Angiogram?
A Coronary angiogram is a surgical procedure where a small balloon tipped catheter is inserted and inflated to open a coronary artery at the point of narrowing or blockage. The balloon catheter is deflated and then removed, after which blood flow in the coronary artery is improved. The procedure may or may not include the insertion of a stent. A stent is a small tubular shaped stainless steel wire cage, which is inserted into the artery to hold it open and allow blood flow. There are two types of stents, the plain metal variety and the drug release (drug eluting) type which disperses medication while in place to assist in dilating the artery. The stent remains permanently in the artery therefore preventing the blockage or narrowing from reoccurring.
What is a Pacemaker?
A pacemaker is a device used to supplement the electrical activity of the heart in patients whose heart is not conducting correctly, i.e their heart rate is beating too slowly, bradycardia. It generally does not provide benefit when the heart beats too quickly. A Biventricular Pacemaker is a pacemaker that paces on both sides of the heart. In selected cases, resynchronising the heart in this fashion can improve cardiac function. An EP Study is the study of normal and abnormal electrical behaviour of the heart. It is an invasive electrical examination of the heart. The procedure is performed in the Cardiac Catheter Laboratory where X-ray equipment is available.