Overview
With shared maternity care, the care is divided between GPs or community health centre midwives and our outpatient clinic at Mercy Hospital for Women (MHW).
This type of care is for women with an uncomplicated pregnancy (sometimes referred to as ‘normal risk’) who prefer to see their GP or community midwife for most of their pregnancy care. Our outpatient clinic doctors and midwives will see you for key check-ups.
GPs or community health centre midwives must be registered with Mercy Hospital for Women (MHW) as an accredited antenatal care provider. View our list of Mercy Hospital for Women shared care affiliates to find a GP in your area.
Getting here
Find us at:
163 Studley Road
Heidelberg Victoria 3084
For more information on getting here, visit Mercy Hospital for Women .
Opening hours
Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm
Your appointment
What to do before
Before your appointment please:
- review information on the different pregnancy models of care we offer
- send back any information requested via post, ten days before your appointment. Alternatively, you can bring this information to your first appointment.
What to bring
Please bring:
- your Medicare card (or your passport and private healthcare fund if you do not have a Medicare card)
- your appointment letter
- any pathology or ultrasound results. (If you don’t have a copy, please provide contact details for where the test was completed so we can get a copy of the result.)
What to expect on the day
Your first visit may take up to two hours. You will need to confirm your details with reception staff. You will then see a midwife and an obstetrician if required.
Please allow about one hour for regular visits.
More information
Team Composition
Throughout your pregnancy, you may be supported by:
- GPs
- community health centre midwives
- Mercy Hospital for Women obstetrics midwives.
What questions should you ask
Please bring a list of any questions you may have.
Opportunities to be involved in research
We participate in research projects and there are opportunities for you to be involved. You can find more information on these projects in our waiting rooms, including how they could benefit other babies, mothers and families. Your midwife may also talk to you about participating in any projects.
For health professionals
Shared maternity care between accredited GPs or community health centre midwives is for normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies. Some key reviews are conducted at our outpatient clinic. Interested in becoming a Shared Maternity Care Affiliate? Check our webpage for more information.
Procedural information
Please provide the following information:
- a full referral, including chosen model of care
- any relevant pregnancy and related medical information
- any tests, scans, results or patient information
- social supports and any external agencies involved in your patient’s care.
Referrals to this service are assessed against the Statewide Referral Criteria. Please utilise HealthPathways to assist in making the referral. Referrals which do not meet the Statewide Referral Criteria will be declined.
Mercy Health preferred referral method is via HealthLink eReferrals, more information about eReferrals and the referral instructions can be found on our referral instructions and templates page(opens in new window).
How to prepare the patient
Please prepare your patient by:
- explaining alternative models of maternity care
- encouraging your patient to ask questions
- suggesting your patient books into a childbirth and parenting education class if she is a first-time mother.
What/when you should refer to us
- Refer your patient if their pregnancy is low risk and they want to be cared for in a shared care model.
- Mercy Hospital for Women (MHW) is a public hospital. Patients must live in our catchment area. Alternatively, our services can also be accessed as a private patient.
What/when you should not refer to us
Women with high-risk or very high-risk pregnancies are not suitable for our Shared Maternity Care Program. Please refer these to our regular obstetric care program.
More information
Professional development
Become a shared maternity care affiliate
Shared maternity care aims to provide a high quality, community-based, holistic, safe and culturally appropriate model of care for women that offers continuity and convenience. This model of care is popular with women who are healthy and have a normal pregnancy.
Guidelines For Shared Maternity Care Affiliates 2021
Medical education for GPs
Our website offers medical education opportunities for GPs. It covers a range of subjects and shows upcoming and previously recorded education sessions.
Contacts
For patients
Mercy Hospital for Women shared care affiliates
- Website: Mercy Hospital for Women shared care affiliates
-
About:
Learn more about shared maternity care and find a list of Mercy Hospital for Women shared care affiliates. Shared Maternity Care for women with an uncomplicated pregnancy (sometimes referred to as ‘normal risk’), who prefer to see their GP for most of their pregnancy care.
For Health Professionals
HealthPathways Melbourne
- Email address: [email protected]
- 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 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 [email protected]or 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 [email protected]
- For issues with HealthLink SmartForms, or to have this solution enabled within your clinical software system, please contact HealthLink on 1800 125 036 or [email protected].
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.
Primary Care Liaison Team
- Email address: [email protected]
- Website: health-services.mercyhealth.com.au/health-professionals/primary-care-liaison-unit
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About:
The team is available on a part time basis to assist general practice with navigating hospital services and accessing GP education and credentialing.
How to refer a patient
- Website: Refer a patient
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About:
Learn more about how to refer a patient.
We accept GP and specialist referrals for all Specialist Clinics. Referrals are triaged against clinical information and investigations utilising HealthPathways Melbourne and Statewide Specialist Clinic Referral Criteria.
Referrals that do not meet the required clinical information and investigations will not be accepted.
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