Overview
Team Maternity Care is for women with uncomplicated pregnancies who would like an increased chance of knowing the midwife who will care for you in labour and during your hospital stay. This type of care is available at morning, afternoon and evening clinics.
Throughout your pregnancy care, you will meet many of the midwives from your team. Because midwives work rostered shifts, Team Maternity Care means you have a better chance of knowing the midwife who will ultimately care for you in labour and during your hospital stay.
Team Maternity Care aims to provide you with continuity of care and to help you establish strong relationships with your midwives. Our midwives work closely with medical and allied health staff to ensure you receive the best care possible during your pregnancy.
Getting here
Find us at:
163 Studley Road
Heidelberg Victoria 3084
For more information on getting here, visit Mercy Hospital for Women .
Location details
Level 1 and 3 Antenatal Clinics
Opening hours
Monday to Friday, 9am–4pm
Evening clinics are available at Mercy Hospital for Women on Monday and Wednesday from 5.50-7.50pm.
Your appointment
What to do before
Before your appointment please:
- review the information on the different models of care we offer
- mail us any information requested, 10 days before your appointment. Alternatively, please 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 bring the details for where the test was completed (location, name and number) 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 the reception staff, see a midwife and, if needed, an obstetrician. Please allow around one hour for your regular visits.
More information
Team Composition
Throughout your pregnancy you may be supported by:
- our team of midwives
- the obstetric team
- allied health staff.
What questions should you ask
Please bring a list of any questions you may have.
Opportunities to be involved in research
We regularly participate in research projects to benefit other babies, mothers and families. Your midwife can provide more information if you are interested, and will talk to you about participating in any projects.
For health professionals
Team Maternity Care is for women with uncomplicated pregnancies who would like an increased chance of knowing the midwife who will be caring for them in labour and during their hospital stay.
Procedural information
Please provide:
- a full referral, including model of care choice
- any relevant pregnancy or related medical information
- any tests, scans, results or patient information
- information about 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.
How to prepare the patient
Please prepare your patient by:
- explaining alternative models of maternity care that may be suitable
- encouraging your patient to ask any questions she may have
- suggesting she book into a childbirth and parent education class if she is first-time mother.
The model of care describes how pregnancy care is provided. We discuss this with each patient at the first appointment and decide which model is most suitable.
What/when you should refer to us
- Refer your patient if their pregnancy is low risk and if they wish to be cared for in a Team Maternity Care model.
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
Women with high-risk or very high-risk pregnancies.
Contacts
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 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 [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.
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