Rapid Access Appointments

Rapid Access Appointments are available for women with:

• A confirmed Breast Cancer diagnosis on needle biopsy
• Strongly suspected Breast Cancer on Imaging (Mammogram/Ultrasound)
• Please complete the Rapid Access Appointment Form and fax to 9928 6260

We understand that for women who have a confirmed or a strongly suspected diagnosis of breast cancer, the wait to see a specialist can be a very stressful time. Sometimes it may take some time to get in to see your own GP prior to a specialist appointment being set in motion.

In an attempt to streamline this process we have in place a rapid access appointment service for women who have a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer or those in whom imaging is highly suspicious of breast cancer.

The Rapid Access Appointment Form should be completed as fully as possible. It should be then faxed to us, including copies of all investigation results, on 9928 6260 and we will contact you immediately to schedule an appointment, or if you prefer you can ring and discuss the form with our staff.

Many women report a significant decrease in their anxiety levels once they have met with a breast specialist and a management plan has been established and we therefore aim to offer women who have a confirmed or strongly suspected diagnosis of breast cancer an appointment within 24-48 hours.

  

Our rapid access service allows you to book your appointment to see us as soon as the diagnosis is confirmed or even suspected, and allows us to have at our disposal as much information as possible when you attend your appointment. You will still require a GP referral in order to be eligible to claim a Medicare rebate.

“The Breast Centre at St Vincent’s Private Hospital East Melbourne” is a private breast service, and as such we are only able to provide appointments for patients who are self-funders, and who intend to have their breast cancer treatment within the private sector and those with private health insurance. Patients who intend to undergo their treatment in the public sector are not advantaged by being seen initially in private and it actually slows the process. Jane O’Brien no longer has a public hospital appointment, and as such, is not in a position to see uninsured patients who do not intend to self-fund their breast cancer treatment, and these patients are advised that the process is in their case best streamlined by obtaining a referral from their GP to be seen in a public hospital breast clinic.

We are only able to offer our rapid access appointment booking service to women with a confirmed or strongly suspected diagnosis of breast cancer and so we will require details of any investigation results and where your imaging was performed, prior to an appointment being scheduled.

The more information we have available, the sooner we will be able to see you.