Cardiology

Emergency conditions/symptoms include (not an exhaustive list):

• Acute cardiac failure
• Acute Coronary Syndrome
• Acute Myocardial Infarction
• Acute symptomatic AF
• Acute symptomatic SVT
• Acute Unstable Angina
• Malignant Hypertension
• Suspected or proven Bacterial Endocarditis
• Symptomatic Bradycardia / Bradyarrhythmias
• Syncope
• Ventricular tachycardia

Assessment and management of adult acute and chronic cardiac conditions. Paediatric patients under the age of 17 should be referred to paediatric clinics.

Cardiology clinics and diagnostic services located in Wellington Centre include:

• Cardiology general outpatient clinics
• Heart Failure
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic
• Pacemaker, ICD and cardiac device clinics and checks
• Cardiac Pre-Assessment
• ECG service
• Holter Monitoring
• 24 hr Ambulatory BP monitoring

Diagnostic services located in the Cardiology Department, Level 2, D Block, Royal Hobart Hospital include;

• Echocardiography
• Stress Echocardiography
• Transoesophageal Echocardiography (TOE) & Cardioversion (DCR)
• Exercise Stress Testing
• Tilt Table Tests

Cardiology Department Invasive & Interventional Services located in the Cardiac Catheterisation Lab include but not limited to;

• 24 hour emergency acute myocardial infarction angioplasty service through our Code STEMI initiative. This is the only 24 hour emergency STEMI and emergency cardiac service available to both public and private patients within southern Tasmania
• Coronary angiograms
• Percutaneous coronary interventions
• Right heart studies
• Cardiac Device Implants; Permanent Pacemaker (PPM). PPM box change, Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) / Biventricular pacing and Implantable Loop Recorders (ILR)
• Electrophysiology studies (EPS) and ablation
• ASD and PFO percutaneous closures

North West

Patients under the age of 15 should be referred to paediatric clinics.

North West Regional Hospital and Mersey Community Hospital: Non-urgent cardiology referrals can be made to the Outpatients Department.

All referrals must conform to the referral standards and therefore should include patient and referrer demographics, history of presenting complaint, clinical examination findings, medications, allergies, relevant past and family history and relevant investigations. Specific requirements are detailed in the individual clinic and condition referral guidelines.

Referrals may be returned if essential requirements are not included.

eReferral is now the preferred method of referral for this service and is available in All regions. Please refer via HealthLink eReferral through your software system (either Best Practice, or Medical Director). For instructions, see the creating an eReferral quick guide.

Referrals are registered by the clinic to who they are referred and are triaged according to the specific clinic guidelines.

Out of area referrals may be redirected to the closest outpatient clinic providing that service.

Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Consultant/Registrar or Clinic Nurse to organise urgent review. For urgent review in the North West, please contact the Medical Consultant or Medical Registrar.

Acute - if symptomatic send to ED and/or contact Cardiology Registrar.

Appointments are based on clinical priority.

Urgent (Category 1)

Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Consultant/Registrar to organise urgent review.

We will endeavour to see these patients within one week, or sooner if clinically indicated.

Semi-urgent (Category 2)

We will endeavour to see these patients within four weeks.

Routine (Category 3)

Next available appointment usually within eight weeks.