Your Operation

Our office staff will arrange your hospital booking. You are usually admitted on the day of your surgery, or the day prior to your surgery at the discretion of your surgeon. These arrangements may include a pre-admission health check by the hospital several days prior to admission. Your health fund may have certain waiting periods for pre-existing conditions or restriction that may affect your coverage. There is a possibility your surgery may be cancelled in these situation, so please check with your health fund prior to going ahead with surgery if you are in doubt about your level of health cover.

Flinders Private and Memorial Hospital

https://acha.eadmissions.org.au

Please bring all of your relevant x-rays, scans and reports to the hospital. In many cases, your surgery cannot proceed without these scans and if you forget your scans then in some cases your operation may need to be cancelled.

During your operation if some tissue is removed at the time of surgery, it may be sent to the pathologist for important microscopic histological examination. Blood tests may also be required.

PLEASE NOTE: pathology testing may incur extra fees that are beyond our control.

For major operations your surgeon will usually require an assistant, who is often another surgeon or a doctor with experience in the procedure being performed. This will usually not involve an extra fee but in some cases, health funds may refuse to pay an assistants fee and then you would be liable for the extra cost.

Your anaesthetist is arranged at the time of hospital booking and will normally see you in hospital prior to your operation, to do a physical examination and arrange any tests or pre-medication they feel necessary.

If you are a smoker, it is in the best interests of your health to stop smoking completely at least 4 weeks before a general anaesthetic.

Most of our anaesthetist’s charge a gap payment that is not covered by your health fund. We will provide you with the necessary contact numbers to enquire about the amount of gap payment.

Under Federal Law, it is your responsibility to contact the anaesthetist to find out how much this will be prior to your surgery.

While in hospital, your care will be provided by your surgeon. Your follow-up appointment is usually made prior to surgery. If this has not occurred then we will arrange this for you prior to discharge.

Other specialists may be involved in your care if medically necessary and you may incur additional fees for this. Reports of your progress will be sent to your GP or referring Specialist at regular intervals and on completion of your treatment.

Our practice staff will call you after your discharge from hospital to check on your progress. We feel that this service provided by Adelaide Specialist Group is an important aspect of your care. After discharge your routine post-operative care is provided through the rooms of Adelaide Specialist Group during normal business hours. Please do not hesitate to telephone the rooms and speak to our staff if you have any concerns after your surgery. An earlier post-operative appointment will be arranged for you if required.

If an emergency situation arises after hours that requires urgent medical attention then you should present to the Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) emergency department or call an ambulance and go to your nearest emergency department. There is an ENT registrar available for emergencies after hours at FMC. In an emergency situation, it may be more appropriate based on good medical reasons for you to be admitted to FMC rather than Flinders Private.

Most ENT procedures do not require the removal of sutures. Often self-dissolving sutures are used which do not need removal. If you need sutures or staples removed after discharge from hospital, an appointment for this will be arranged.

Sometimes after discharge from hospital, a problem with your wound may arise which causes you some concern. If you have any concerns in the immediate post-operative period please telephone our rooms first for advice. This will usually resolve any concerns, and if necessary an earlier appointment can be made for you to be seen. If an urgent situation arises after hours then it may be necessary for you to attend the Flinders Medical Centre Emergency Dept.

Adelaide Specialist Group will fully inform you about any charges and will provide you with an estimate of our consultation fees when booking an appointment. Payment in full is required at the time of attendance. We can either submit your claim to Medicare for you or provide you with a receipt that you can take to Medicare for reimbursement.

Sometimes during your consultation a nasal endoscopy or sinoscopy, which is a telescope that is inserted into your nose and throat may be required. A microscope and suctioning may be required in patients with ear problems. Audiology tests or cauterization may also be required.

Additional fees will apply to ear micro suctioning and Nasal cautery.

At the time of booking your appointment, please inform our reception staff if you are seeing us for an earwax or nose bleed problem so an estimate of the fees can be provided prior to your appointment.

We will provide you with an estimate of our fees for surgery when booking your hospital surgery date. We do charge a gap payment for surgery, which you will be advised of at the time of booking. The surgical fee or gap needs to be paid prior to your surgery date. Please note that your surgery fee also includes routine post-operative care and visits.

Once you have obtained a quote from your surgeon, you can then contact your Anaesthetist and The Hospital to enquire about additional charges.

Patients may require admission to Intensive Care (ICU) after their surgery and this may require additional fees (see Flinders Private ICU information pamphlet)

We want you to be happy with the plans for your surgery. Please ask if there are any questions on the following:

Your recommended surgery

Possible alternative treatment options

Any risks involved

The length of hospital stay

The amount of time off work required

Any out of pocket expenses

Your post-operative appointment

Medical and carer certificates