Canberra Private Hospital

Preparing for your hospital visit

• Patient admission form and information brochures

  If you have questions about your admission, please contact our helpful hospital staff on 02 6173 3733, and they will be happy to assist you.

  • Please return your admission forms as soon as your surgery has been booked. This gives us time to prepare for your hospital stay. If you have not received a copy of this form, you can complete it online by clicking on the button below.
  • A copy of our Patient Information Brochure can also be downloaded below.

  Canberra Private Hospital provides outpatient day rehabilitation therapy to promote the return to full physical activity after orthopaedic and musculoskeletal surgery.

   

  Online Admission Form Patient Information Guide
• Before your surgery

  What you need to do to prepare for your surgery:

  • Complete your pre-admission forms at least 7 days before surgery
  • Contact your private health fund to check your level of cover
  • Make a note of your admission time and fasting instructions, which we will send you via SMS the business day before your surgery
  • Advise us of any special dietary needs
  • If you are having day surgery, arrange for a responsible adult to accompany you home and stay with you for 24 hours. We cannot discharge you following an anaesthetic unless you have a designated carer, so please contact us as soon as possible if you are having difficulty finding someone.
  • Please contact your doctor prior to surgery if your health has deteriorated, as we may need to postpone the procedure until you’re feeling better

  For 24 hours after an anaesthetic, you will not be able to:

  • Drive a vehicle
  • Drink alcohol
  • Operate machinery
  • Make important decisions
  • Sign legal documents

  Admission form Patient guide
• What to bring
  • Please bring your Medicare card, and where applicable your Health Insurance membership card, Veterans’ Affairs card, or Pensioner Concession card
  • Any medications you are currently taking including supplements, in their original packaging
  • All recent and relevant X-rays, scans, test results and medical paperwork (such as forms and doctor admission letter)
  • Any personal aids you need (glasses, walking aids, or crutches for lower limb operations)
  • If you are staying overnight, please bring night attire, toiletries and slippers
  • Payment to settle your account
  • Power of Attorney, Enduring Guardianship and Advanced Care Directive documentation (if applicable)

  You will also need to wear loose comfortable clothing.

• What not to bring
  • Leave valuables at home (including jewellery and large sums of cash)
  • Do not wear make-up or nail polish
• Fasting

  Before you undergo an anaesthetic, you will need to avoid eating or drinking anything for a specific period of time, as this will protect your airway and lungs while you are asleep. We’ll get in touch via SMS or phone to let you know when this fasting period should begin.

  Do not chew gum, eat lollies or have any milk-based drinks during the fasting period.

  We will give you some light food and refreshments when you are in the recovery room after your surgery. If you are staying with us overnight, we will bring this to you when you have been admitted to your room.

• Medications

  Check with your doctor, anaesthetist or GP whether you should take your prescribed medications on the morning of your procedure. You can take them with a sip of water if fasting.

  Please be aware that some medications may not be covered by your health fund as part of your hospital stay.  An invoice for pharmacy charges will be forwarded to you in the coming weeks.

• Smoking

  Do not smoke on the day of your procedure. This includes vaping products. Canberra Private Hospital is a smoke-free environment, so if you are staying with us, you may want to discuss a nicotine replacement therapy with your doctor.

• Getting here and parking

  There is time-limited paid parking in the Wilson car park in the Equinox Business Park.

  Wilson parking
• Admission

  When you arrive, please head straight to the reception desk on Level 1, where our friendly staff will guide you through the admission process. We will confirm your name, date of birth, admitting details and doctor. These standard identification procedures will be repeated throughout the day to ensure your safety.

  An admission nurse will then take you to a private consulting room to review your medical history. You will then be seen by your anaesthetist and surgeon, and wait in a comfortable bed before heading into the operating theatre.

  Every effort will be made to ensure you aren’t kept waiting before your procedure, but there are times when other patients require longer periods in theatre than we anticipate. We’ll keep you (and your carer) informed of any delays, and whether it will impact your discharge time.

• Billing & health insurance

  Canberra Private has contracts with all private health funds. If you have private health insurance, we will check your level of cover and inform you of any excess amount you will need to pay as soon as possible.

  It’s a good idea to contact your private health fund to check any exclusions or restrictions on specific treatments. They can answer any questions, and may be able to upgrade your policy if needed. If you have a compensation claim (such as Worker’s Compensation) please confirm with your insurer that they will cover your procedure with us.

  Before you are admitted, any outstanding amount not covered by your health fund (co-payment or excess) will need to be paid. We accept Visa, MasterCard and EFTPOS. Cash and bank cheques are not accepted.

  If you do not have private health insurance, you will be required to pay the full amount for your hospital admission before your surgery.

  You will also receive a separate account from the surgeon, surgical assistant and anaesthetist involved in your treatment. Please note there may be additional charges for pharmacy (medications), pathology, imaging and x-rays.

  Third party claims

  If you are a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) patient, we will lodge a claim with the DVA for you. If your surgery is part of a WorkCover or Third Party (TAC) claim, you will need to make the full payment (apart from ancillary charges) on admission – unless we have received written approval for admission from WorkCover or TAC.

  Questions to ask your private health insurer

  Before you have surgery, we recommend you contact your private health insurer and check whether you are covered for surgery. We have provided a guide to the questions you should ask.

  Am I covered?
• After your surgery

  Following your procedure, you will be brought into the post-anaesthesia care unit where we will give you some light food and refreshments.

  Day surgery

  If you are discharged on the same day as your surgery, you must have a responsible adult to collect you from Canberra Private Hospital, and stay with you for 24 hours. We will provide your carer with contact details and discharge procedures, and call them 30 minutes before you are ready to be picked up.

  We will also give them your post-operative care instructions. It is important you follow these to ensure the best outcome from your procedure. Your anaesthetist will give you a prescription for any pain relief and/or antibiotics required after surgery. These may be required soon after being discharged, so pick this medication up on your way home.

  One of our nurses will call you a day or two after your surgery to check how you are recovering. You should also ensure you contact your surgeons rooms and make a post-operative appointment.

  Short-stay surgery

  If you are staying with us overnight (or longer), we will make you comfortable in one of our private patient rooms once you have recovered from the anaesthetic.

  You can have visitors between 10am and 8pm, but we do suggest you keep visits to a minimum so you can rest. If you have special needs and require a carer to stay with you, or would like your infant to stay with you, please discuss this with us before admission.

  As an inpatient, you will also enjoy:

  • A choice of delicious meals, which can be tailored to your special dietary requirements
  • Free WiFi and Foxtel
  • Newspapers
  • Views across the Canberra skyline

  Discharge time is 10am. You are welcome to wait in our patient lounge after this time if you’re waiting to be picked up.

  Nausea

  This is less common with modern anaesthetics. If it does occur, it should only be temporary. If nausea persists, avoid food but maintain fluids. If it does not resolve within 24 hours, it is important that you contact your doctor.

  Sore throat

  This may occur due to your anaesthetist assisting with your breathing. It usually disappears within 24 hours. Simple pain relief may help relieve this.

  Tender arm or hand at injection site

  This may occur due to irritation of the vein or slight bruising from the needle or the drugs injected, and can persist for several days. If your arm or hand look red or inflamed consult your doctor and notify Canberra Private Hospital on info@canberraprivate.com.au.

  Infection

  Should any redness, swelling, pain or discharge be noticed from your wound,  please contact Canberra Private Hospital and speak with a member of the nursing team, or contact your specialist or usual GP. If you visit a doctor and are prescribed antibiotics for an associated infection within 30 days of your procedure, please notify the Canberra Private Hospital General Manager/Director of Nursing at info@canberraprivate.com.au.

  Rehabilitation services

  Canberra Private Hospital offers rehabilitation services to maximise your recovery outcomes following your surgery,  and we also provide rehabilitation services to assist recovery from medical illness. Detailed information on our rehabilitation services can be found in our Patient Guide which can be downloaded here.

  Hand hygiene

  We advise patients and carers to wash hands prior to attending wound care or administering eye drops (as per doctor’s instructions).

  Preventing falls

  After your procedure and anaesthetic, you may be at risk of falling or tripping. Take care when moving around and we encourage you to rest and let your carer assist you for the remainder of the day.

  Preventing pressure injuries

  Pressure injuries can occur when you are unable to move for a period of time and present as a wound or reddened area of skin. To prevent a pressure injury whilst in hospital it is important to regularly change position in bed and walk or move around as much as possible.

  We assess all of our patients on admission and throughout their stay to identify those patients who are at risk of getting a pressure injury.  We then provide these patients with a range of pressure injury prevention and management strategies whilst in hospital and when they go home.

  For more information about your stay at Canberra Private Hospital, please download our Patient Guide here.

  Preventing and managing pressure injuries Pressure injury prevention Information for those at risk of a fall Falls prevention
• Privacy

  As a patient of Canberra Private Hospital your privacy and dignity will be maintained at all times. We hold medical records relating to your treatment, and the content of these records will only be divulged with your consent or where permitted or authorised by law.

  We will handle your personal information in accordance with Australian Privacy Principles and legislation that governs how hospitals handle your personal and health information. For more information, read our Patient Information & Pre-Admission Booklet, and download the Australian Privacy Principles fact sheet.

  Privacy Policy Australian Privacy Principles Fact Sheet
• Quality & safety

  Canberra Private Hospital strictly follows all statutory and relevant body guidelines and Australian Standards. We work hard to provide both a supportive environment and the highest level of care for our patients and staff.

  We work together under the management of our General Manager/Director of Nursing and Medical Advisory Committee (MAC).

  Patient feedback and quality of care

  We never stop caring about patient care. That’s why we continually monitor and assess everything we do, so we can improve the quality of care we provide. Patient feedback plays a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the quality of care provided at Canberra Private Hospital. By actively listening to our patients, we gain valuable insights into their experiences, allowing us to make informed decisions about how to improve our services. Our quality outcomes are reviewed by our MAC before being made available for consumer feedback.

  We encourage patients to confidentially share their thoughts through a post-operative survey sent via email, while guests and visitors can easily provide feedback through our website. This continuous process of collecting and reviewing feedback ensures that we remain responsive to the needs and expectations of our patients, aligning with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.

  One of the key metrics we use to gauge patient satisfaction is the Net Promoter Score (NPS). The NPS is a simple way to measure how happy our patients are with the care they receive. At Canberra Private Hospital, patients are asked: “How likely are you to recommend our hospital to friends and family if they need similar care or treatment?”

  Patients answer this on a scale from 0 to 10, with:

  • 10 being ‘extremely likely’ and
  • 0 being ‘not likely at all’

  Scores of:

  • 9 or 10 are considered ‘promoters’ (very happy patients)
  • 7 or 8 are ‘passives’ (neutral), and
  • anything below 7 is a ‘detractor’ (unhappy patients)

  The NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. According to global NPS standards, an NPS score above 70 is considered very high and shows the service is world-class. From July to September 2024, Canberra Private Hospital achieved a Net Promoter Score of 78.

  Some of the more detailed results from patient feedback during this period revealed:

  • 98% of surveyed patients expressed satisfaction with the quality of care received
  • 96% praised our staff’s communication
  • 97% felt safe whilst in our care

  These results highlight the effectiveness of our efforts and provide us with a clear direction for further enhancing our services.

  Workforce checks

  To make sure we offer the highest possible standard of comfort and care, our specialist clinical staff have their credentials and abilities assessed annually.

  Clinical handover

  To make sure nothing is missed, our systems ensure seamless continuity in the event your care is transferred from one person to another. This includes discharge instructions to patients and/or carers.

  Infection prevention & control

  Canberra Private Hospital follows strict infection control procedures. Our staff take every precaution to prevent infections and our antibiotic usage is monitored against best practice. As most patients are discharged the same day, we try to get feedback from your specialist or GP if any infections occur. We encourage you to contact us directly if you have any concerns regarding this.

  Canberra Private Hospital employs a variety of strategies to prevent infections. These include:

  • auditing how often and how well staff wash their hands using soap and water or hand sanitiser
  • using gloves and specialised sterile equipment
  • using specialised disinfectants when cleaning facilities
  • following national guidelines for high-level disinfection and sterilisation processes
  • placing hand sanitiser dispensers in public areas throughout our hospital so that they are readily accessible to staff, patients and visitors.

  What can you do to help prevent infection?

  At Canberra Private Hospital, patients and visitors are part of the healthcare team. There are several things you can do to reduce the risk of infection for yourself and others:

  • Wash your hands carefully with soap and water or use hand sanitiser upon entering and leaving the hospital. This is the most important way you can prevent the spread of infection.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands afterwards – every time!
  • If you do not have a tissue available, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not into your hand.
  • As a patient, report any infection you have had, especially if you are still on antibiotics.
  • Make sure you take the full course of antibiotics you have been given, even if you are feeling better.
  • If you have a dressing for a wound, keep the skin around the dressing clean and dry. Let the healthcare worker looking after you know promptly if it becomes loose or wet.
  • Tell your healthcare worker if the area around any drips, tubes or drains inserted into your body becomes red, swollen or painful.
  • Let the healthcare worker looking after you know if the equipment has not been cleaned properly.
  • Stop smoking before any surgery or procedure, as smoking increases the risk of infection.

  Infection Prevention Results from July to September 2024

  During the last reporting period, Canberra Private Hospital provided care to 1806 patients. Through the diligent efforts of our doctors, staff, patients and visitors, we are proud to report zero post-surgical infections during this time.

  Hand hygiene

  Canberra Private is committed to the Hand Hygiene Australia program. We conduct regular audits to ensure compliance throughout our facility.

  Hand Hygiene is another name for hand washing or cleaning. Good hand hygiene is an important part of infection control. Germs can survive on unwashed hands for over an hour, and we can unknowingly transmit bacteria and viruses to others.

  All our staff are required to frequently wash their hands with soap and water or with waterless hand sanitiser. Both are equally effective. We follow the World Health Organisation’s guidelines for hand hygiene, which specify the following times when healthcare staff must wash their hands:

  • before touching a patient
  • after touching a patient
  • before a procedure
  • after a procedure
  • after touching a patient’s belongings or surroundings

  At Canberra Private Hospital, we use auditors who are accredited by Hand Hygiene Australia to record whether hand hygiene has been performed correctly at our hospital.

  Learn more about this program here.

  Falls within the hospital

  Patient falls are a leading cause of hospital-acquired injury and often prolong or complicate hospital stays. Patients may experience a fall because they are weakened by a medical condition or after an accident or surgery.

  During July to September 2024, our hospital cared for 1806 patients. While two patients experienced a fall during their stay, none were harmed or sustained any injury. Our hospital will continue to review and improve the current strategies we have in place to prevent patients from falling.

  Pressure injuries

  Commonly known as bed sores, pressure injuries are areas of skin damage caused by prolonged pressure. They can range in severity from an area of reddened skin to ulcers with underlying tissue damage.

  Pressure injuries can sometimes occur when a patient remains in one position for a long period. Certain people are at increased risk of developing pressure injuries, such as the elderly, people who are bed-bound or have poor mobility, and people with chronic conditions like diabetes. These are most common on hips, tail bones, heels or other bony areas of the body.

  We have a range of approaches to treat and prevent pressure injuries, and our target is always to have zero pressure injuries.

  Unexpected Returns to Theatre

  An unexpected return to the operating theatre is a serious event that may occur if complications arise after surgery. This can happen for various reasons, including infections, bleeding, or other unforeseen issues. At Canberra Private Hospital, we have thorough processes in place to prevent these occurrences and deliver the highest standard of care for our patients. From July to September 2024, we cared for a significant number of patients, none of whom needed to return to theatre after surgery.

  Medication Safety

  Safe medication management is important to us at Canberra Private Hospital. There are many systems in use throughout the hospital to support and promote safety in supplying and administering medications and monitoring their effects.

  Staff at Canberra Private Hospital follow strict guidelines to ensure that all medications are administered appropriately and accurately. We adhere to the 7 Rights of Medication Administration:

  • The Right Person
  • The Right Documentation and Clinical Context
  • The Right Drug
  • The Right Dose
  • The Right Date/Time
  • The Right Route
  • The Right to Uninterrupted Medication Administration

  Should errors in medication administration occur, they are captured in our hospital’s incident reporting system and investigated. We are pleased to confirm there were zero medication errors at our hospital for the last reporting period.

  Consumer Involvement

  We want to hear from you!

  With patients like you at the centre of our care model, we welcome your participation in reviewing our Quality & Safety reports. Please provide feedback on how we can continue to improve.

  Contact our General Manager/Director of Nursing at info@canberraprivate.com.au

  Open Disclosure

  At Canberra Private Hospital, we are dedicated to ensuring transparency and trust through our Open Disclosure process. Open Disclosure involves clear and honest communication about any incidents that might cause concern during your treatment. It’s important to know that most issues in healthcare that don’t go as planned are minor and are often identified and addressed before they impact you.

  In cases where something small doesn’t go to plan, your doctor or nurse will inform you about what happened and how it was managed, just as they would discuss other aspects of your care. If a more serious incident occurs, we will inform you as soon as possible and arrange an Open Disclosure meeting to thoroughly discuss the situation. This process includes explaining what went wrong, why it happened, expressing our regret, and providing the necessary support.

  Our goal is to keep you fully informed and supported, addressing any concerns and working with you to improve our services. If you believe a serious incident has occurred that has not been acknowledged, please speak with your doctor, nurse or other healthcare staff, as we value your feedback in enhancing our care.

  Nexus Quality and Safety Policy Open Disclosure fact sheet
• Our commitment to child safety

  We want children to be safe, happy and empowered. We support and respect all children, and this is entrenched in the way we train our staff and volunteers.

  We are committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children.

  We have zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously, and consistent with our robust child safety policies and procedures.

  We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously.

  Our organisation is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks.

  Our organisation has robust human resources and recruitment practices for all staff and volunteers.

  Our organisations are committed to regularly training and educating our staff and volunteers on child abuse risks.

  We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers.

  We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.

  We have specific policies, procedures and training in place that support our leadership team, staff and volunteers to achieve these commitments.

  If you believe a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.

  Please contact our Director of Nursing via the button below if you wish to view the full policy.

  Contact us
• Complaints, concerns & feedback

  Canberra Private Hospital takes your feedback seriously, that’s why we benchmark our hospital across a national database, collecting information about your hospital visit aimed at improving the experience for all of our patients. We take the time to review the feedback we receive and are committed to making changes which ensure time spent in our facility is as pleasant as we can make it.

  We will send you a questionnaire by email after your hospital visit, from the address donotreply@nexushospitals.com.au. We encourage you to use this to tell us how we can improve our service, and where we have met or exceeded your expectations. Family, friends or carers who do not receive the questionnaire are welcome to get in touch with any comments, suggestions, or feedback by emailing us directly using the link below.

  We appreciate your honest feedback, as we are always looking for ways to improve our patients’ experience.

  If there is any aspect of your care that you are not happy with, please contact our General Manager/Director of Nursing. We will promptly acknowledge and investigate any complaint, and communicate the outcome and any recommendations with you.

  If your complaint is unresolved, you can contact:

  ACT Human Rights Commission

  GPO Box 158
  Canberra
  ACT 2601

  Phone: (02) 6205 2222

  Contact us