Before my visit

My booking

After you have seen your cardiologist, your doctor’s practice will book an appointment for your procedure at Sutherland Heart Clinic. This will generally be the earliest available appointment.

We will send you a letter confirming your appointment for your procedure and tell you how to prepare for your procedure. This letter will come to you from Sutherland Heart Clinic or Sutherland Hospital.

Please ensure the Sutherland Heart Clinic short stay admission form is completed and returned to us at least one week prior to your admission.

Health insurance

Sutherland Heart Clinic has contracts with all private health insurance funds. We are a no gap facility. Please confirm your health insurance details with us and your fund prior to your procedure.

If you have an excess or co-payment on your health insurance cover you may incur some out of pocket expenses.

Your doctor will explain your procedure to you and answer any questions you may have. You will then be asked to sign a consent form when you are with your doctor.

If you have not reviewed the consent form with your doctor yet, you can find a copy of most of our consent forms here. If you are not sure of the exact name of your procedure, please check with your doctor’s rooms. Please download and review the consent form before your procedure. Your doctor will discuss this with you prior to your procedure, if they have not already done so.

If your consent form is not available on our procedures page, then your doctor will discuss your consent with you on your arrival, if they have not already done so.

If you have any questions or concerns, or require any additional information about your procedure, please let your doctor know.

If you have access to a printer, please print your consent form and bring it with you on the day of your procedure. Otherwise we will provide you with a printed copy on the day.

If you have already signed the consent in your doctor’s rooms, then please disregard this instruction.

My procedure

You can learn more about your planned procedure here.

What to bring

Please bring the following items with you in a small overnight bag:

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Your current medications

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Any pathology or blood results

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Any X-rays

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Referral letters

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Your appointment schedule and any letters or papers we have sent you

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Health insurance details

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Medicare card

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Veteran Affairs details if applicable

N

Worker’s Compensation details including insurance claim numbers if applicable

N

Items to pass the time, such as reading material, knitting, crosswords etc

N

Reading glasses

N

Toiletries

You will be allocated a locker on arrival, so your personal belongings will be locked away and secure during your procedure. However, please do not bring large amounts of cash or valuables with you on the day.

Length of stay 

Day stay patients (those not staying overnight) are normally at the clinic for at least six to eight hours from the time of admission to the time of discharge.

Please note that Sutherland Heart Clinic is part of a tertiary referral centre and, from time to time, we may need to prioritise emergency procedures. This may at times lengthen your stay at the clinic. If this happens on the day of your procedure, we’ll keep you advised of any changes or delays.

Your visitors are welcome to wait at the clinic but they can’t accompany you once you go in for your procedure. Most visitors leave once patients go in for their procedure, and return either when you’re back in recovery or when you’re ready for discharge.

We’re happy to answer any questions your family members/carers might have, plus we’ll give you all an estimated time of discharge.

Skincare and nails

There are no special requirements before your procedure in terms of skin care, so just shower or bath as usual. However, please do not wear nail polish to your appointment.

Fasting instructions

All patients attending Sutherland Heart Clinic are fasted prior to their procedure. Please follow the fasting instructions that are given to you when you ring us the day prior to your procedure.

Instructions:

  • All patients must cease solid food six hours before their admission time
  • All patients must cease clear fluids two hours before their admission time (note: clear fluids are NOT cloudy or milky drinks)
  • From two hours before your admission – nil by mouth

For example, if your admission time is 7:00 am (please tailor this to your admission time)

  • You can eat food up until 1:00 am
  • You can have clear fluids (water, black tea/coffee, clear juice etc) up until 5:00 am

We will confirm the time of your procedure and when you need to start fasting when you call the clinic the day before your procedure (please refer to our detailed instructions in the Before my visit patient guide).

Medication instructions

Patients prescribed Warfarin

If you take the medication Warfarin you will need to consult with your referring cardiologist who will advise you if you need to stop taking your Warfarin three days before your procedure. Your cardiologist may also advise that you need to take a substitute anticoagulant (blood thinner). It is very important that you do not stop taking your Warfarin until you have discussed this with your cardiologist.

Patients prescribed Lasix

On the day of your procedure:

  • If your procedure is scheduled for before 12:00 pm: Withhold your Lasix and bring in your tablets so staff can give them to you after your procedure
  • If your procedure is scheduled for after 12:00 pm: you may take your Lasix

Patients with diabetes

On the day of your procedure:

If you are prescribed insulin we suggest you take half your regular insulin dose. Remind the booking staff that you are on insulin and we will attempt to schedule your procedure as early as possible.

  • Insulin dependent (IDDM): You should take half (½) of your regular insulin dose (please bring in insulin)
  • Non-insulin dependent (NIDDM) – tablet controlled: You should continue your medication as normal
  • Non-insulin dependent (NIDDM) – diet controlled: Fast as per the instructions above

Other medications

Oral Sodium Glucose Inhibitors
If you take any of the following medication – Forxiga, Xigduo, Qtern, Jardiance, Jardiamet, Glyxambi, Steglatro, Segluromet, Steglujan – please contact Sutherland Heart Clinic for instructions prior to your procedure.

Aspirin, Plavix, Prasugrel, Ticagrelor, Pradaxa, Apixaban, Rivaroxaban
Your cardiologist will provide advice regarding if and when to stop other medication. All other medications include Aspirin, Plavix, Prasugrel, Ticagrelor, Pradaxa, Apixaban, Rivaroxaban.

We will discuss your medications with you when you call the clinic the day before your procedure (please refer to our detailed instructions in the Before my visit patient guide).

Ring before procedure

Contact us one week in advance if you have special needs

Please let us know at least one week in advance of your procedure if you:

  • have special dietary needs (eg vegetarian, gluten free or other)
  • need accommodation in Sydney (eg if you live outside of the Sydney metropolitan area)
  • live alone or
  • need an interpreter.

Please call our friendly team on tel: 02 9540 8555 to discuss these requirements with us.

If you do not have any special needs, then you do not need to contact us at this time. Please just ring us the day before your procedure.

Contact us the day before your procedure for final instructions​

On the day before your procedure, please ring Sutherland Heart Clinic on tel: 02 9540 8555 between 1pm and 3pm to confirm your final arrangements.

We will tell you what time to arrive, and provide instructions on fasting and medications. If your procedure is on a Monday, please call on the Friday prior.

Public transport

Sutherland Heart Clinic is located in the Sutherland Shire, approximately half an hour drive south of Sydney, in the suburb of Caringbah.  It is serviced by train, bus, taxi and Uber.

If you will be travelling to the clinic by public transport, please familiarise yourself with transport services and timetables in advance of the day of your procedure. You can check current routes and timetables and plan your trip with Transport NSW, or use a trip planning app on your phone (eg TripView or Opal Travel).

How to get to Sutherland Heart Clinic by train and bus

Sutherland Heart Clinic lies between Miranda and Caringbah railway stations. From Central station, platform 25, take the Cronulla via Wooli Creek train (T4) and alight at Miranda railway station. The Miranda Interchange is on Kiora Road, from there, use Bus Route 477, 985 or 986.

We recommend using the bus stop on The Kingsway to alight at Sutherland Hospital. You can learn more about rail and bus services and timetables here.

Country patients

Plan and book flights (for country patients)

Please check your procedure information to see if there are any restrictions on flying after your procedure. Patients are generally advised not to fly on the day of their procedure, but please check instructions related to your specific procedure or contact us for further advice.

Please be aware that some airlines may place restrictions on patients flying after certain procedures, such as angioplasty and stent insertion.

If you need to travel home by air, we can provide you with advice in relation to your particular procedure.

Accommodation in Sydney (country patients)

There are a number of accommodation options located close to Sutherland Heart Clinic.  The two venues below have in the past offered discounts for hospital patients. You will need to check on current arrangements and rates:

We recommend researching options online, as there are a number of options available in the local area.

Travel assistance, if needed (country patients)

The NSW Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme provides financial assistance to people who need to travel more than 200 kms one way to obtain inpatient or outpatient specialist medical treatment.

You can find out more about this scheme here, or by contacting the service by phone: 1800 478 227 or email: iptaas@health.gov.au.

First night home after my procedure

Please make arrangements in advance to have someone at home with you (overnight) on the day of your discharge in the event you require assistance or support.

Learn about research opportunities

Sutherland Heart Clinic undertakes ongoing cardiovascular research. You may be invited to participate in a research project while at the clinic. You can read more about these opportunities here.

My rights and responsibilities

We also ask you to familiarise yourself with your rights and responsibilities while in our care. You can learn more about:

  • what you can expect from us
  • the consent for your procedure/s
  • your privacy
  • your responsibilities in relation to your care &
  • what to do if you have a problem or wish to give feedback about your care.

You can read more about these matters here.

If you have questions or concerns

If you have any questions about your forthcoming procedure, please contact your referring cardiologist or Sutherland Heart Clinic on tel: 02 9540 8555.

Learn more

You can also download a PDF version of the Sutherland Heart Clinic Patient Handbook here.

Related content

Please also read this important information before your visit:

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Day of my procedure

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After my visit

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Patient privacy & rights

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Patient feedback

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Patient care

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Procedures