- Our services
- Medical and surgical
- Gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery
Gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery
We care for conditions including common digestive complaints such as reflux and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) through to more serious conditions such as coeliac disease, hepatitis, liver cancer and bowel cancer.
Many gastrointestinal conditions are quite common and our experienced multidisciplinary team is highly skilled at providing treatment and care to help you manage your condition so you can continue enjoying your day-to-day activities.
Our gastroenterology services
Our multidisciplinary gastrointestinal team, including gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal surgeons, uses the latest research and technology to detect and treat your condition.
Many gastrointestinal procedures, such as endoscopies and colonoscopies, can be carried out as day surgery. Others, such as stomach or liver surgery, may require an overnight stay or multiple days in hospital.
Our experienced caregivers will make sure your time with us is as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
What to expect
Gastroenterologists commonly diagnose conditions using an endoscopy or colonoscopy. These procedures use thin, flexible tubing with a microscopic camera on the end to give your doctor a visual map of what’s happening inside your digestive system.
You will usually need to fast for some time before your procedure. You may also need to take a substance to help expel all food from your system. If your doctor has given you a sedative before the procedure, you will probably need to spend a few hours recovering before you can go home.
Some procedures, including gastrointestinal surgery, may need to be performed under general anaesthetic. Your doctor will advise the best option for you.
Endoscopy
An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a procedure that enables your doctor to look inside your oesophagus, stomach and small intestine. It usually takes 10 to 20 minutes. A tube with a microscopic camera on the end (called a gastroscope) is inserted down your oesophagus. This will not affect your breathing. Your throat may be numbed, or your doctor may give you a sedative or light anaesthetic.
Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is a procedure that enables your doctor to look inside your rectum and colon (large intestine and large bowel). It usually takes 20 to 40 minutes. A tube with a microscopic camera on the end (called a colonoscope) is inserted via the anus. If appropriate, your doctor may give you a sedative or light anaesthetic.
Benefits of our service
Our gastroenterology services can assist and benefit you in a number of ways:
- expert advice provided a multidisciplinary team of gastroenterologists, gastrointestinal surgeons, anaesthetists, registered nurses and allied health professionals
- the option to undergo some procedures as day surgery, including endoscopies and colonoscopies, so you can recover in your own home
- the highest levels of care from our qualified caregivers.
Costs and fee payment options
If you have private health insurance, the costs for your hospital stay and specialist fees may be covered by your health fund, based on your level of cover.
If you don’t have private health insurance, you can access treatment at a St John of God Health Care hospital through our self-funded care option.
When you use your private health insurance, you get benefits that include access to St John of God Health Care private hospital facilities, your choice of specialist, minimal wait times, and with an eligible policy most of your hospital costs can be covered by your private health insurance fund.
You should contact your health insurer to understand your level of cover, and whether your policy is subject to additional fees such as a hospital excess or other ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses. Your health insurer will also be able to assist in understanding if you will have doctor, radiology and pathology out-of-pocket costs.
Patients who don’t have private health insurance can choose to access St John of God Health Care private hospital services and treatments by paying fees themselves.
By accessing our self-funded care option, you’ll be able to avoid wait times and have your surgery or treatment with your choice of specialist at a St John of God Health Care private hospital.
- Learn more and enquire about the self-funded care option.
- Call 1300 940 199 to get a quote for self-funded treatment.
If you have received an invoice for an expense associated with treatment from a St John of God Health Care service you can pay your bill online.
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