FAQs
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I drink alcohol for the two days before the procedure?
Preferably not. You may have a glass of beer or white wine only two days before the procedure.
What happens if I feel sick or hungry when I am fasting and drinking the bowel preparation?
You may suck on Barley sugar lollies and drink lemonade to help you if you feel nauseated. Also you may drink your preparation a little more slowly, but aim to finish it all within six hours of starting.
How long will I have to wait for my procedure after I arrive?
In most cases, your procedure is performed half an hour to one hour after your arrival at the unit. The GI Health Doctors are specialist therapeutic endoscopists and sometimes see emergency patients from public and private practice as well as hospital inpatients. Occasionally this may increase your waiting time. Should this occur we thank you for your understanding.
How long will I be in the day procedure unit?
Your procedure may take up to 30 minutes. However with your admission and recovery time you can expect to be in the unit for approximately three to four hours.
When will I get my results?
GI Health Doctors/Endoscopy nursing staff will usually see patients after their procedures and provide a copy of the procedure report which is also sent to your referring Doctor. We encourage you to return to your referring Doctor to follow up the results of the procedure and any tissue samples that were taken.
PLEASE NOTE: RESULTS WILL NOT BE GIVEN OVER THE TELEPHONE
How do I book a consultation at GI Health?
Just call us to arrange an appointment over the phone. You will need a referral from a medical practitioner to allow Medicare claiming
How much will a consultation cost?
A New case is charged at $195.00 and a Pension/Healthcare Card holder is charged $150.00. With a valid referral, Medicare will rebate $128.30.
Follow up appointments are charged at $100 and $64.20.
At our discretion we will offer Bulk-Billing (no gap).
How do I book a procedure at GI Health?
Just call our friendly Administration Team to arrange an appointment over the phone. Procedures are available all days of the week with either morning or afternoon sessions.
You will need a referral from a Medical Practitioner to allow Medicare claiming. Your doctor may request a specific Gastroenterologist to look after you or the “first available” one.
Once a booking is made, we can send any paperwork by fax, email or post.
How much does a procedure cost?
Our Gastroenterologists are “no-gap “providers with Health Funds which means there will be no out of pocket costs for procedures, unless you have Overseas Private Health Insurance we require payment up front that you can claim back yourself after the procedure. You MUST have Medicare as well for this to be a “no gap” service otherwise you need to pay upfront.
Your Health Insurance may have an “excess” which you pay when making a claim. In some cases, processing of pathology specimens may have an out of pocket cost. We can provide more details at the time of making a booking.
What if I don’t have Private Health Insurance?
We can provide a quote for the cost of having a medical procedure in a private hospital. Your GP can also refer you into the public wait list system. Dr Viiala also works at Osborne Park Hospital, Dr Ormonde at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Dr Sherrington at Peel Health Campus.