Are
my medical records kept private and confidential?
Your
medical file is handled with the utmost respect
for your privacy. Our staffs are bound by strict
confidentiality requirements as a condition
of employment regarding your medical records.
Ordinarily
we will not release the contents of your medical
file without your consent.
Do
I need a referral to make an appointment?
Most
medical specialists will accept only referred
patients. This is partly to try to ensure that
the specialist you are seeing is appropriate
for you and your condition, and also because
Medicare pays higher rebates for specialist
services if you have been referred.
What
are the Medicare rules about referrals to specialists?
If
you want Medicare to help to pay for specialist
medical services at the referred rate, it is
essential to discuss your condition and possible
referral with your family doctor before you
see the specialist. Please note that the backdating
of referrals is illegal and can result in heavy
fines and prison sentences. If you have any
questions about seeing medical specialists or
about the Medicare benefits system, please ask
your family doctor or contact Medicare on 13
2011.
How
can my family doctor help me to obtain specialist
medical care?
Before
seeing any medical specialist, it is always
preferable to talk to your own family doctor,
who can discuss your condition with you and
advise on whether any specialist care is appropriate.
If it is, he or she can help you to choose the
specialist best suited to your needs. Your family
doctor can help the specialist to care for you
better by providing relevant information about
your health. Communicating with the specialist
will also enable your family doctor to care
for you better during and after your specialist
treatment.
Do
I need to have private health insurance?
No.
Our surgeons at Sydney Upper Gastrointestinal
Surgery work at Westmead Public Hospital.
However,
private health insurance allows you and your
family to access the right health services at
the right time. You have control of your health
care and can choose the provider, facility and
timing of your treatment. With the security
and protection of private health insurance,
you have access to an extensive range of private
hospitals and can rest assured that your health
is in good hands.
What
should I expect during first visit?
During
your initial visit, our surgeons will explain
the specific procedure you might require, help
you visualize the results and go over the risks.
He may do a physical examination and ask you
a bunch of questions. Once you go and have the
test done then he will decide what your diagnosis
and appropriate treatment.
Although
complications are rare, all surgeries, especially
those that involve anaesthesia, carry some risks.
Our surgeons will outline these for you based
on the specific procedure.
Will
the procedure or surgery hurt?
During
a procedure, anaesthesia ensures that you are
comfortable and feel no pain. If general anaesthesia
is used, you will even sleep through the entire
operation. After surgery any pain of discomfort
you may experience can usually be controlled
through medication and will usually subside
in a matter of days.
How
soon can I return to work?
This
differs widely on the procedure that has been
performed, our surgeons will advice you on how
soon you can return to work.
What
is the recovery from Surgery Like? Will I be
able to tolerate the pain post-operatively?
Each
patient will tolerate pain post-operatively
in a different way. While some patients may
describe the pain as an ache, others experience
greater discomfort. Appropriate pain medications
are prescribed for the post-operative patients,
and these help minimize discomfort.
When
can I resume regular exercise?
The
time a patient resumes regular exercises varies
based on the operation performed. All patients
are encouraged to start a slow walking routine
on the second postoperative day. Regular aerobic
and more vigorous activities are not allowed
during the first 2 weeks in order to decrease
the risks of bleeding, swelling, and bruising.
Weight lifting and contact sports are allowed
at 1 month in most cases.
