We manage planned (elective) surgery cases based on clinical need or urgency.
Key points
- Previously known as elective surgery, planned surgery is surgery that can be booked in advance
- We manage all planned surgery appointments and the surgical Pre-Admission Clinic
What we do
What is planned (elective) surgery?
Previously known as elective surgery, planned surgery is surgery that can be booked in advance, through placing a patient on an planned surgery waiting list, as a result of specialist clinical assessments.
Timing of planned surgery is based on clinical need or urgency. Surgeons assess the patient’s clinical need and assigns an urgency category for their condition. As a trauma hospital, emergency cases may take priority over planned cases. The RMH takes this very seriously and endeavours to prevent delays from occurring, however there is always the possibility of an emergency case taking priority over a planned case.
The Victorian system has three urgency categories. Each category has a desirable time for treatment.
Urgency categories
Category 1: Urgent cases
Treatment within 30 days is desirable for a condition that has the potential to deteriorate quickly to the point that it might become an emergency.
Category 2: Semi-urgent cases
Treatment within 90 days is desirable for a condition that is causing pain, dysfunction or disability but which is not likely to deteriorate quickly or become an emergency.
Category 3: Non-urgent cases
Treatment at some time in the future is acceptable for a condition causing minimal or no pain, dysfunction or disability that is very unlikely to deteriorate quickly and does not have the potential to become an emergency. Treatment within 12 months is used as a guide.
Bookings
Our Bookings service manages all planned surgery bookings and is the best point of contact if a patient’s condition has changed or the patient is not ready for surgery.
Pre-Admission Clinic
Many surgical procedures require the patient to attend a Pre-Admission Clinic to ensure that essential preoperative tests are complete and the patient is well prepared for surgery. This includes the patient completing a health questionnaire before attending their pre-admission appointment.
At the Pre-Admission Clinic appointment, the patient is reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of anaesthetists, allied health staff and liaison nurses. We advise the patient about what to expect in hospital, length of stay and any discharge requirements.
Our clinics
| Clinic name | Location | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiology Pre-Admission Clinic | The RMH Parkville | |
| Cardiac Workup Pre-Admission Clinic | The RMH Parkville | |
| Pre-Admission Clinic | The RMH Parkville | |
| Cardiac Surgery Pre-Admission Clinic | The RMH Parkville |
Our clinics
Referrals
We accept GP and specialist referrals:
- Use the RMH referral form or a template from your own system
- Complete and fax your referral to Specialist Clinics (Outpatients) on (03) 9342 4234
We do not accept email referrals.
What to include in your referral
As outlined by the Department of Health, referral requests should include:
- Patient demographic information
- Referrer demographic information
- Reason for referral
- Presenting problem
- Service(s) requested
- Required referral information specified by statewide or local referral criteria
- Current patient management
- Impact of the problem on the patient
- Name of the consultant and provider number (for Medicare clinics)
- Investigation reports related to the referral
Urgent and after-hours support
Referrals are triaged based on priority. In an emergency, patients can go to the Emergency & Trauma Service at any time.
For advice, urgent referrals and out of hours support, call The RMH Switchboard on (03) 9342 7000 to page our registrar on call.
HealthPathways Melbourne provides guidance on best practice assessment and management of common medical conditions, including when and where to refer patients.
Parkville Connect is a secure web-based portal providing GPs, specialists and other health professionals with information in the Parkville electronic medical record (EMR).
Need to change or cancel your appointment?
Do one of the following:
- Access Health Hub to change the appointment yourself
- Complete our online form and we'll change it for you
- Call Specialist Clinics (Outpatients) on (03) 9342 7393 and we'll help you over the phone
What to bring
Every time you come
Every time you come in for a test, day procedure, surgery or treatment, you should bring:
- Medicare card
- Health Care card (if you have one)
- Concession card (if you have one)
- Adverse drug alert card (if you have one)
- Medications you are currently taking, including any that you have bought without a prescription
- X-ray films, scans, ultrasounds or any other test results you have which are related to your procedure
- Private health insurance card (if you want to use it)
- Aids (glasses, hearing aid, walking frame)
For a clinic appointment
If you come for a clinic appointment, you should also bring:
- Your appointment letter
- Any special items listed on your letter
- Your appointment book (if relevant)
- TAC or WorkCover claim number
For an overnight or longer stay
If you come for an overnight (or longer stay), you should also bring:
- A dressing gown and slippers, or comfortable day clothes and shoes
- Your toiletries
- Your iPad or tablet and phone, provided you are happy to take responsibility for them
Do not bring (for overnight or longer stay)
And if you're staying overnight or longer, do not bring:
- Your handbag, wallet, purse or large amounts of cash. Just bring a small amount for items such as newspapers, magazines or coffee
- Valuables, such as jewellery, watches or other items of value to you
Interpreters & cultural support
We provide qualified, professional interpreters to help you communicate with us at any time during your stay and at your clinic appointments.
- Μάθετε περισότερα γιά διερμηνείς & υποστήριξη κουλτούρας
- Scopri di più sugli interpreti e sul supporto culturale
- Tercümanlar ve kültürel destek hakkında daha fazla bilgi edinmek için
- Tìm hiểu thêm về thông dịch viên và hỗ trợ văn hóa
- 找出更多翻译与文化支持的信息
- لمزيدٍ من المعلومات عن خدمة الترجمة الشفهية والخدمات الثقافية
Level 3 East
300 Grattan St, Parkville, Victoria
COVID-19 testing is required for all planned (elective) admissions requiring general anaesthesia or other aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs).
Telehealth
Start your Telehealth video call at your appointment time by joining this waiting room