Pre-Admission Clinic

We’re a team of nursing, medical and other staff members who perform pre-operative health assessments on elective surgery patients booked at Western Health.

Our Pre-Admission Clinics operate at both Sunshine and Footscray Hospitals. We’re here to guide you through the process and assess your healthcare needs to make sure you are fully informed and well prepared ahead of your surgery.

How the Pre-Admission Assessment works

Your assessment can be done in one of two ways:

1. Phone assessment

• Please be available to take our calls within the designated hours for the morning clinic or the afternoon clinic, as booked by the Elective Bookings staff.
• You will receive multiple calls from different staff members (e.g. a nurse, doctor, anaesthetist and pharmacist).

2. In-person at one of our clinics

• You may be asked to attend the clinic at Sunshine or Footscray Hospital.
• Your visit may take up to 3–4 hours if you are seeing multiple staff members.
• Please eat before you arrive, bring a drink, and plan for childcare, transport and parking.
• You will be called in turn into the consultation room as soon as a staff member is available.

If you’re a patient with a surgical booking at Bacchus Marsh Hospital, you’ll be contacted by phone for a health assessment, anaesthetic risk assessment and discharge planning. Bacchus Marsh Pre-Admission Clinic staff will use your health questionnaire as a guide, and you may be booked into the clinic for an appointment with the Pre-Admission Clinic nurse or anaesthetist.

Morning clinic: 8:30am – 12:00pm 

Afternoon clinic: 1:00pm – 5:00pm

For in-person assessments, please attend at the time allocated by the Elective Surgery Bookings Office.

For phone call assessments, please be available to take our call or calls between the allocated times for the clinic as booked by the Elective Surgery Bookings Office.

Bacchus Marsh:

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am – 4pm

During your assessment, you may be seen or spoken to by one or more staff members, including:

• pre-admission nurse
• surgical doctor
• anaesthetist
• pharmacist. 

Based on your assessment and the surgery you are having, you may be asked to complete some tests on the day of your appointment, after your appointment, or before your surgery. 

It is important you complete these tests to ensure your suitability and safety to proceed with surgery.

These may include:

• blood or urine test
• ECG (electrocardiograph / heart tracing)
• X-ray, CT scan or MRI
• echocardiogram or exercise stress echocardiogram
• respiratory function test (lung function)
• cardiopulmonary exercise test.

Please have the following items and details handy:

• All medicines in original packaging, including prescriptions, Webster or blister packs, and over-the-counter or herbal medicines.
• Any recent X-rays, scans or blood test results done outside Western Health.
• Contact details for any private specialists you see (e.g. your cardiologist / heart doctor) and any letters from your specialist doctor.
• Information about any pacemaker or defibrillator you have, including recent reports, last date of pacemaker check and who you see for pacemaker testing.
• Your Medicare card and any other health care cards (e.g. Pensioner Concession card, Health Care Card, Veteran Affairs Card, private health insurance card, PBS Safety Net Card).
• WorkCover or TAC claim details, if relevant.
• Your glasses and hearing aids.

Please have the following items and details handy:

• Your medications with dosage details, including Webster or blister packs prepared by your local pharmacy.
• Any over-the-counter medications or herbal medicines.
• Contact details for any private specialists you see (e.g. cardiologist / heart doctor).
• Information about any pacemaker or defibrillator you have, including recent reports, last date of pacemaker check and who you see for pacemaker testing.
• Work Cover or TAC Claim details, if relevant
• Your height and weight measurements.

If you cannot attend your appointment on the day, please contact the hospital where your appointment is booked as soon as possible. See hospital contact details below.

To enquire about your surgery date or to change a Pre-Admission appointment, please contact:

Elective Surgery Bookings Office 

Phone: (03) 0845 1947

If you’re running late or unable to attend on your Pre-Admission appointment day, please contact the clinic where your appointment is booked:

Footscray Hospital Pre-Admission reception:

Phone: (03) 8345 6263 (Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm)

Sunshine Hospital Pre-Admission reception:

Phone: (03) 8455 4300 (Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm)

Bacchus Marsh: 

Phone: (03) 5367 9681 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 4pm)
Email: [email protected]
 

Need an interpreter?

At Western Health, you can access free, professional interpreter services to ensure you receive the best care possible.

Please call (03) 8345 7148 if you require an interpreter for your appointment.