PATIENT INFORMATION
APPOINTMENT REQUEST
Please contact the office on (02) 5134 5934 for all appointments. Referrals can be faxed to (02) 8331 6049 or emailed to admin@canberraheadandneck.com.au
When you call, please be prepared to answer some questions regarding the type of problem you are seeing Dr Ebrahimi for. It is important that you or your referring doctor fax or email your referral as well as details of any imaging or biopsy results. This information helps us understand the urgency of your appointment, so we can schedule accordingly and Dr Ebrahimi can plan ahead.
You will receive an SMS reminder two to three days prior to your appointment. Please confirm the appointment via an SMS reply. If you do not have a mobile phone please call the clinic a few days prior to your appointment to confirm. We would appreciate at least 48 hours notice of cancellation so that another patient may be seen at that time.
Please notify our team if you are a patient travelling from afar to see us. Where appropriate, we will endeavour to efficiently coordinate further tests, consultations and treatment, to minimise travel requirements and unnecessary delays.
INITIAL CONSULTATION
What to bring to your appointment
- A valid referral letter from your GP, specialist or other doctor. This can be faxed through or brought with you.
- Medicare or DVA card
- Private health insurance information
- A hard copy or CD of all relevant x-rays, scans and ultrasounds (unless we confirm online access to your scans when you book your appointment) and reports
- All relevant blood tests and biopsy results
- List of medications and allergies
- Relevant medical records or letters if you have them available
- A list of any questions you may have
New patient forms
To streamline your consultation, the office will email you a Patient Registration Form and Patient Medical History Form. Please print the forms, complete all details and bring with you to the appointment (or preferably email to the office in advanced). Otherwise, we ask that you please arrive at least 15 minutes early for your appointment for registration and to fill in the health questionnaire.
Please be assured that your privacy will be maintained at all times and no information about you will be shared with any third party without your prior written consent.
LOCATION AND PARKING
Canberra Head & Neck Surgery is located in National Capital Private Hospital in Garran ACT next to Canberra Hospital. This is a busy campus so please allow extra time for parking. Parking is available in a large multi-storey carpark next to Canberra Hospital and there is also limited timed parking in the surrounding streets and behind National Capital Private Hospital.
There is a drop off zone at the main entrance to the hospital (on Hospital Road) and we encourage patients with limited mobility to arrange for someone to drop them off there before finding parking. Once inside National Capital Private Hospital take the lift to Level 5 and turn left. We are located along the corridor in Suite 11B.
Canberra Head & Neck Surgery
Suite 11B, Level 5. National Capital Private Hospital
Corner Gilmore Crescent & Hospital Road
Garran ACT 2605
FEES & CLAIMING
Consultation fees will be discussed with you at the time you schedule your appointment, and payment for the consultation is required on the day. You may pay via EFTPOS, credit card or cash. Upon payment, we can submit a Medicare rebate claim electronically on your behalf if your banking details are registered with Medicare.
When planning for surgery at a private hospital there are several costs to consider including your surgeon, the anaesthetist, the surgical assistant and any excess from your health fund.
Dr Ebrahimi’s fee: The costs for surgery will depend on the condition and type of surgery required. You will be provided with a written estimate of fees prior to the procedure. This will list the item numbers for the surgery, Dr Ebrahimi’s fee, and the amount you can claim back from medicare and your health fund.
Anaesthetist’s fee: When you are scheduled for surgery, we will provide you with the contact number for your anaesthetist. Please call their office to obtain an estimate of fees.
Hospital or health fund fees: Please contact your Private Health fund to check if you are covered for your surgery and any excess payable. Your health fund will ask for the surgical item numbers. These can be found on the estimate that we provide you. There may also be additional hospital fees for services such as Pathology, Medical Imaging, Intensive Care (ICU) and Pharmacy. You should ask your health fund if they cover these.
HOSPITALS
Dr Ebrahimi operates privately at National Capital Private Hospital in Garran. Please see below for details.
National Capital Private Hospital
Corner Gilmore Crescent & Hospital Road
Garran, ACT 2605
Hospital switchboard: (02) 6222 6666
Calvary John James Private Hospital
173 Strickland Crescent
Deakin, ACT 2600
Hospital Switchboard: (02) 6281 8100
PRE-OPERATIVE PREPARATION
In preparation for your surgery with Dr Ebrahimi, please take some time to read over the information below to ensure you are well prepared, both physically and mentally.
Arrival and Fasting Time
You will be contacted by the hospital the afternoon prior to your surgery to confirm arrival and fasting details. Please ensure that you have completed the pre-admission forms and have sent these into the hospital ahead of time.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before surgery unless otherwise indicated. This includes coffee, tea, and juice. Medication with a small sip of water on the morning of surgery is okay. Your surgery may have to be cancelled if you do not follow these instructions.
Medications
Most blood thinners need to be stopped before surgery. These include medications such as warfarin (brand names Coumadin and Marevan, xarelto, pradaxa, eliquis, arixtra, clopidogrel (brand names Iscover and Plavix), persantin, ticlid, tilodene, reopro and aspirin. If you take any of these medications, it is important to let Dr Ebrahimi know and receive instructions on when to stop them. We may need involvement from your Cardiologist, other specialist or family doctor to help manage this.
Some medications, including natural therapies (especially Chinese herbs), must be stopped several weeks prior to surgery as they may cause thinning of the blood and increased risk of bleeding. This includes all herbal medications, aspirin and aspirin containing compounds, anti-inflammatory medications, fish oil, krill oil, ginseng, garlic, gingko and evening primrose oil.
If you take insulin injections or tablets for diabetes, please contact the Anaesthetist for instructions on these. Please take your other regular medications as usual with a sip of water only.
If you are unsure about your medications please contact the Anaesthetists office for advice.
Smoking
Smoking prior to surgery increases the risk of wound infections, poor wound healing and blood clots. The anaesthetic is also more difficult for patients who smoke with breathing difficulties commonly seen in smokers after surgery. For these reasons, we request that you stop smoking 4 weeks prior to surgery and for at least 4 weeks after the operation. If necessary, contact your GP regarding using medications to help you quit or the Quitline on 137848.
Preparing for Surgery
Notify us if there is a change in your condition prior to surgery (such as a cold, cough, fever, infection, chest pain or shortness of breath). If severe your surgery may need to be postponed for your safety.
Please shower at home the evening before surgery or in the morning
Please do not shave the surgical site. Shaving yourself increases the risk of infection and it will be done for you if necessary
On the day of surgery
- It is preferable not to bring valuables such as jewellery or money
- Do not wear make-up
- You will be asked to remove contact lenses, jewellery, dentures and wigs.
- Report to the hospital reception when you arrive
- Make sure you bring relevant scans and ultrasounds with you if requested (usually we can access these online)
- You will meet your Anaesthetist prior to surgery on the day and Dr Ebrahimi will also see you prior to surgery
- After the operation, you will spend time in the recovery room (usually 1-2 hours) until you are fully awake. After this you will be transferred to a bed either in the ward or intensive care unit.
- You will have a drip in your arm to give you fluid until you are able to drink.
- You may have a urine catheter if you had a very long operation. This isn’t necessary for most patients.
- The Anaesthetist will give you medicine to help control any pain and nausea after the operation.
- You will have special stockings and receive injections under the skin with heparin twice daily to reduce the risk of blood clots
POST-OPERATIVE CARE
- Arrange for a responsible adult to drive you home after discharge.
- Dr Ebrahimi will see you daily while in hospital
- Before discharge, you will be given instructions on wound care, medications, pain relief, if and when to recommence blood thinning medications, resumption of normal activities and follow-up arrangements.
- Please give the office a call on (02) 5134 5934 to book your post-operative appointment (if not already booked), which is usually within 1-2 weeks. Post-operative appointments for the first 6 weeks are included in your surgery fee if you’re a private patient.
