Cardiac services

Referral to the service can be through a GP, a hospital or a mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) paramedic. St John of God Hospital Bendigo has established a CAU to enable privately-insured patients’ direct access to our state of the art cardiac services.

Patients must be referred. The referring practitioner or paramedic will need to ring 1800 850 133 and answer some questions. The admission process is streamlined to allow for care to begin immediately upon arrival.

People with:

• Chest pain, including differential diagnosis
• Arrhythmias – non-lethal
• Cardiac failure
• Syncope

Timely admission to our facility. Immediate cardiology review, which means the best care is available straight away. Diagnostic and interventional cardiology (such as coronary angioplasty) can be offered for appropriate cases. Prompt assessment, investigation and treatment of chest pain has been shown to improve health outcomes.

Following their referral to the CAU at St John of God Hospital Bendigo, the patient will be under the care of their current specialist or the admitting cardiologist of the day.

When a patient arrives, either by ambulance or other vehicle, they are met by the Critical Care Nurse and soon after by the duty doctor for an immediate assessment. The doctor consults with the cardiologist on duty and a care plan is arranged.

The St John of God Hospital Cardiac Assessment Unit is fully equipped with trained staff and state of the art monitoring and resuscitation equipment.

It is an adjunct to our Critical Care Unit and meets all Health Department requirements.

Most health funds will cover the costs incurred, in which case there will be no upfront fee. 

A hospital excess may be payable depending on your health fund.

This service has appropriate policies and procedures to ensure patient care quality and safety, including meeting all triage requirements for cardiac patients.

A single telephone call to us puts you in touch with our on-call cardiologist. A standard list of questions will be asked of the referring party to ensure that the patient is appropriate for our service. There will be immediate critical care assessment by appropriately trained staff and access to cardiac investigations such as echocardiography and angiography.

An essential part of this service is providing feedback to the referring party.

For all patients attending the CAU, a standard format report/letter will be sent to the patient’s GP following their visit.

NOTE: In case of emergency always dial 000

Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm

For enquiries or admissions to the Cardiac Assessment Unit at St John of God Hospital Bendigo, please:

Call: 1800 850 133

Email: [email protected]

Patients MUST be referred by GP, a hospital or a mobile intensive care ambulance (MICA) paramedic. Please note: Private health insurance is required, or patient can be self-insured.

Please provide the following information to the ICU Liaison Nurse - Critical Care Unit by phoning 1800 850 133.

• Name
• Date of birth
• Patient presentation
• Previous Cardiologist
• Relevant medical history
• ECG complete and forwarded to 0460 313 732
• Name and number of health fund

 

Download and view the CAU Referral Checklist PDF.

Australasian Triage Scale

Category 1 – Immediate Life Threatening

Refer to Emergency Department/Ambulance

Category 2 – Imminently Life Threatening

Important time-critical treatment or very severe pain
Refer to Emergency Department/Ambulance

Category 3 – Assessment and Treatment within 30 minutes

Potentially life-threatening
Situational Urgency: St John of God Bendigo Hospital CAU 5434 3447

Category 4 – Assessment and Treatment within 60 minutes

Potentially serious, Situation Urgency, Significant Complexity Severity: St John of God Bendigo Hospital CAU 5434 3447

Category 5 – Assessment and Treatment within 120 minutes

Less Urgent: St John of God Bendigo Hospital CAU 5434 3447

Click image to enlarge.

Download and view the CAU GP Pathway PDF.

Electrophysiology is a specialized branch of cardiology that focuses on the electrical activities of the heart. It involves the study and treatment of abnormal heart rhythms, also known as arrhythmias. Our electrophysiology services include comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, advanced treatment options, and personalized care plans tailored to meet the unique needs of each patient.

An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat caused by abnormal electrical signals in the heart. These irregularities can make the heart beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or in an erratic pattern. Some arrhythmias are harmless, while others can be life-threatening.

Common types of arrhythmias

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib): Rapid, uncoordinated heartbeats that can increase the risk of stroke.
• Atrial flutter: Similar to AFib but with more organized heartbeats.
• Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT): Fast heartbeats originating above the ventricles.
• Ventricular fibrillation: Chaotic electrical signals causing the ventricles to quiver, which can be fatal if not treated immediately.
• Ventricular tachycardia: Rapid heartbeats originating in the ventricles, potentially serious in those with heart disease.

An electrophysiology (EP) study is a test that examines the heart's electrical activity to diagnose and treat arrhythmias. You might need an EP study if you have:

• Palpitations: To diagnose the cause and determine the best treatment.
• Irregular heart rhythms: To pinpoint the cause and determine the best treatment.
• Fainting episodes: To identify if an arrhythmia is causing sudden loss of consciousness.
• Risk of sudden cardiac death: To assess the risk and plan preventive measures.

 

EP studies are performed by electrophysiologists using catheters and specialized electrodes to create detailed maps of the heart's electrical activity.

This helps in deciding the most effective treatment, whether it's medication, catheter ablation, or implanting devices like pacemakers or defibrillators.

Cardiac ablation is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias. The goal of the procedure is to create small scars in the heart tissue to eliminate the short-circuits that cause the arrhythmia.

During cardiac ablation, a cardiologist inserts thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to reach the heart. These catheters deliver energy in the form of heat (radiofrequency ablation) to specific areas of the heart.  The energy creates tiny scars that disrupt the abnormal electrical pathways, restoring a normal heart rhythm.

To enhance the electrophysiology service we currently provide, we are excited to introduce our new, cutting-edge cardiac mapping technology, EnSite™ X EP System, which allows our specialists to create detailed, real-time 3D maps of the heart's electrical activity. This innovative technology enhances the precision and effectiveness of our diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, ensuring better outcomes for our patients.

• Enhanced accuracy: Provides precise localization of arrhythmias, enabling targeted treatment.
• Improved safety: Minimizes the risk of complications by offering a clearer view of the heart's electrical pathways.
• Personalized treatment: Allows for customized treatment plans based on detailed mapping data.
• Faster recovery: Reduces procedure times and promotes quicker recovery for patients.

• Electrocardiograms (ECG)
• Holter monitoring
• Event monitoring
• Electrophysiology studies (EPS)
• Catheter ablation
• Pacemaker and defibrillator implantation
• Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)