Our Procedure

Appointments can be made by contacting our centre on 9548 0600. Office hours are 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. If you wish to change/cancel your appointment please contact our office and our staff will be happy to assist you. It is important for you to notify us if you wish to cancel your appointment.

Please read your instructions carefully to ensure that you are properly prepared for your endoscopy examination. Instructions for your procedure are available from the Endoscopy Centre and can also be downloaded online.

• Please bring your GP referral and list of all medications to the hospital on the day of your procedure.
• Your total stay at the day surgery inclusive of waiting time can be up to 3 hours.
• If you are on Aspirin, Plavix, Iscover, Warfarin, Pradaxa and other blood thinning medications please inform the centre.
• If you are on diabetic medications and / or on Insulin, please inform on booking.
• Please notify on booking if you have any serious medical illness, a weight of 120 kg and over or if you are 70 years old as you need to attend a pre-anaesthetic consultation prior to the procedure.

If you are not sure whether you should take certain medications please contact our office for advice or confirm with your GP.

Do not bring any valuables or jewellery to the centre as we are not responsible for any losses. Wear comfortable loose clothing on the day of the procedure.
Do not bring any valuables or jewellery to the centre as we are not responsible for any losses. Wear comfortable loose clothing on the day of the procedure.

Your appointment time is the time you arrive at the centre and not the time of your actual procedure. Your stay at the Springvale Endoscopy Centre is approximately 3 hours from time of arrival to discharge. This includes waiting time, procedure time and recovery time. We endeavour to keep your waiting time to a minimum but because some procedures can take longer than expected waiting time can be variable. In the Endoscopy Centre there are newspapers, magazines and Foxtel for you to enjoy whilst you are waiting.

On arrival you will be greeted by our receptionist who will ask you to complete a registration form and procedure consent form. You will need to bring your Medicare card, private Health Insurance card, Pension/Health care card as well as a list of current medications (including both prescription and non-prescription medications).

Before your procedure you will be taken to a consulting room by a nurse. Here you will have a consultation with your endoscopist and anaesthetist. Your doctor will discuss in detail with you the procedure and answer any questions you may have. You will then be helped by a nurse to change into the appropriate attire for your procedure. You will then be taken to the endoscopy room for your procedure. The anaesthetist will insert a needle into your hand to provide intravenous access for your procedure. You will be given intravenous sedation type anaesthetic for your procedure. This is also called `Twilight anaesthetic’. The average procedure time is approximately 30 minutes.
Once the examination is complete you will be transferred on a trolley to the recovery room. Your stay in recovery is about 30-45 minutes. A light refreshment is provided to you prior to discharge. For safety reasons no hot beverages will be provided at this facility. Prior to discharge you will meet with the endoscopist to discuss the findings and post discharge instructions.

Your referring doctor will receive a copy of the examination results. You will also be advised to see your GP in about 5-7 days to discuss any biopsy that may have been taken during the procedure.

You must have an adult to drive you home following the procedure. You will not be permitted to use public transport or drive yourself following the procedure. You may use a Taxi only if you are accompanied by a responsible adult. Please arrange an adult family member or friend to stay with you for the remainder of the day. You will not be able to drive or work for the rest of the day. Most patients can return to work the day after the procedure. However if your occupation is considered “risky” then you may need an extra day off work. (If you do not have anyone to drive you home your procedure will be postponed to another day. Please ensure this is observed to avoid any inconvenience).  
You are advised to have a light meal only after your procedure. You may recommence normal meals the following day.