Overview
Things the specialist doctor might discuss with you include:
- the faecal occult blood test result
- your bowel motions
- preparation for a colonoscopy
Getting here
Find us at:
Werribee Mercy Hospital
296 Princes Highway
Werribee Victoria 3030
For more information on getting here, visit Outpatient Clinics or find out more about Werribee Mercy Hospital.
Opening hours
The Rapid Access Colonoscopy Clinic runs:
- fortnightly on Monday, 1:00–4:00pm
Your appointment
What to do before
Information about your outpatient clinic appointment is included in the Outpatient access page along with details on how to find us.
More information
Team Composition
Throughout your experience you may be supported by:
- a nurse
- a specialist doctor
Discharge information
If you need a colonoscopy the doctor will ask you to see the outpatient nurse to fill out a health history form prior to leaving your appointment. The elective surgery team will contact you to book your colonoscopy.
For health professionals
The Rapid Access Colonoscopy Clinic sees patients who have a positive faecal occult blood test and require an urgent colonscopy.
Procedural information
We do not currently perform outpatient colonoscopies. The procedure will be attended to as per our elective surgery pathway.
How to prepare the patient
Please advise your patient that all referrals are processed as a priority. The specialist will see them within 14 working days of referral receipt. They will receive both a phone call and letter advising them of their appointment. If your patient’s condition changes before they see the specialist, they should either contact their GP or go to Emergency Department.
What/when you should refer to us
- You should refer to the Rapid Access Colonoscopy Clinic when your patient has returned a positive faecal occult blood test – either ordered by yourself or as part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – and requires an urgent colonoscopy.
Our clinic is receiving eReferrals via HealthLink SmartForms. Please see our Refer a patient page for more information.
What/when you should not refer to us
Do not refer:
Any other condition requiring a colonoscopy including (but not limited to):
- PR bleeding
- Routine Surveillance
- Hemorrhoids
If patients present with the following, refer to Emergency Department:
- acute melena
- heavy PR bleeding
- hemodynamically compromised
Make a referral
Access Rapid Access Colonoscopy Clinic referral forms and guidelines to make a referral for this service.
Contacts
In case of emergency, call 000
For patients
Outpatient Clinics - Medical/Surgical
-
Phone numbers:
Outpatient Clinics - Medical/Surgical
03 8754 6700
- Phone number: 03 8754 6710
- Website: Outpatient access
-
About:
Call this number for:
· Appointment questions
· Referral questions
· You want to speak to a nurse about why you are coming to see the specialist
· You want to change your appointment
· You want to tell us you no longer need your appointment
Other places to get help
National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP)
- Website: NBCSP
-
About:
Bowel cancer screening for Australians aged 50 to 74 by 2020
For Health Professionals
HealthPathways Melbourne
- Email address: info@healthpathwaysmelbourne.org.au
- Website: HealthPathways Melbourne
-
About:
HealthPathways Melbourne provides clinicians with a single website to access clinical and referral pathways, and resources. Pathways are created by local GPs, working in partnership with specialists, nurses, allied health and other health professionals.
Mercy Health recommends clinicians to access HealthPathways Melbourne for guidance in assessing, managing and referring for patient conditions (login required).
Referrals to outpatient clinics at Mercy Health will be triaged against clinical information and investigations based on these guidelines.
Referrals that do not meet the required clinical information and investigations will not be accepted.
HealthPathways Melbourne is available for free to health professionals working in the North Western Melbourne and Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network catchments.
Email HealthPathways to request access or if you need to confirm your username and password.
Healthlink SmartForm eReferrals
- Website: au.healthlink.net/support
-
About:
HealthLink is a secure digital platform for sending referrals directly from your GP practice software (Best Practice, Genie, Medical Director and MedTech Evolution).
Practices without conformant software can register for a free HealthLink Portal licence by completing the online registration form and noting in the comments/message field that you would like to use the SmartForms, then selecting the two checkboxes – (1) Receive Electronic Correspondence (free of charge) and (3) Send Electronic Smart Forms (My Aged Care, Transport for NSW, Monash Health etc).
Once HealthLink receives your completed registration application, this will be processed and the portal details will be forwarded to you.
eReferral Support Contact Information
- For GPs in the Eastern Melbourne Primary Healthcare Network region wanting to enable eReferrals (HealthLink Smartforms), please contact digitalhealth@emphn.org.auor if urgent (03) 9046 0300.
- For GPs in the North Western Melbourne Primary Healthcare Network region wanting to enable eReferrals (HealthLink Smartforms), please contact HealthLink via phone: 1800 125 036 or email request@healthlink.net
- For issues with HealthLink SmartForms, or to have this solution enabled within your clinical software system, please contact HealthLink on 1800 125 036 or HelpdeskHL@healthlink.net.
Statewide Referral Criteria for Specialist Clinics - Victoria
- Website: Statewide Referral Criteria
-
About:
The Department of Health and Human Services has developed statewide referral criteria to assist GPs and clinicians referring patients to specialist clinics. These referral criteria have been developed to improve access to specialist clinics in public hospitals by improving the quality and appropriateness of referrals.
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