Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Fasting

Fasting will be different for various procedures and can also vary for children and babies. 

It is very important that patients have an empty stomach before any surgery or procedure that requires anaesthesia. It is crucial for your safety that you follow the fasting advice of your surgeon and/or hospital. If you haven’t already received advice about fasting, please follow these instructions:

  • If your procedure is in the morning. You must not have anything to eat after 12 midnight. You may drink water up to 2 hours prior to the time you have been asked to attend the hospital.

  • If your procedure is in the afternoon. Please have a light breakfast prior to 7.00am. Do not eat or drink anything after this time except for water which you may continue to drink up to 2 hours prior to the time you have been asked to attend the hospital.

  • Many gastrointestinal procedures, such as colonoscopy, require specific preparation which will be advised by your surgeon.

Regular Medication

You should advise your surgeon and your anaesthetist about all of your medications, including non-prescription items.  They will advise you on what to continue taking.  Many medications can be taken as usual with a sip of water, even during the fasting period.  Others, such as aspirin and other blood thinners or diabetic treatments should be stopped or modified before your procedure.  Please contact your anaesthetist if there is any uncertainty about your medications.

Side effects of anaesthetic

  • Bruising or soreness from injection/IV site.

  • Sleepiness is common after an anaesthetic and usually lasts for the day of the procedure.  It is important that patients do not drive or operate heavy or dangerous equipment at least until the day after their procedure.

  • Nausea and vomiting can occur after an anaesthetic.  A sore throat is also possible and can last a day or two after surgery.

Although these side effects are relatively common, none of them are dangerous.  The more dangerous side effects are rare.  Your anaesthetist is trained to deal with them and will discuss any that are relevant to you.

Anaesthetic Fees

Specialist anaesthetist services attract a fee separate to those charged by the hospital or other doctors caring for you.

We do our best to make sure that every patient knows what to expect when it comes to the fee for their anaesthetic.  As soon as we receive information about the date and plan for your surgery, our staff will prepare a detailed estimate of the fee for the anaesthetic service. We send you a written estimate including your expected out of pocket costs.  If there is only a very short time before surgery we may need to give the estimate over the phone or in person.

The actual fee and the out of pocket cost may depend on the time taken for your procedure (which may be longer or shorter than estimated) and the particular rules of your private health insurance.  Whilst we do our best to provide you with an accurate estimate of anticipated costs, we also provide the particular item numbers that we expect to use so that you can also check with your private health insurance fund.

Gaps

Many patients will have an out of pocket expense, also called a “gap”.  The size of the gap depends on the fee charged for the anaesthetic and also on the particular rules of your private health insurance fund. Some funds have much more generous rules than others, which can mean a difference of hundreds of dollars on the cover they will provide for a particular anaesthetic invoice. 

Whilst we cannot give you advice about the best insurance cover for you and your circumstances, you should feel free to talk with your anaesthetist about the cover your insurance fund provides. Switching between private insurance funds while maintaining the same level of cover typically does not involve any penalty or waiting period.

For further information:

  1. Call the friendly administration staff of Associated Anaesthetists Group on 03 9900 0022

  2. The Australian Society of Anaesthetists explains “Why the Gap?”

  3. Download the Billing information sheet PDF from the Australian Society of Anaesthetists website.

  4. The Commonwealth Private Health Insurance Ombudsman provides more information about Informed Financial Consent on the PHIO website.

  5. The Commonwealth Government provides a comprehensive and independent site for comparing health insurance products at  https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/