Top 21 Procedures

You are given a lot of information when you are going into hospital for a procedure. But do you know how many doctors might be involved in your care? You will have visited the doctor who is performing the procedure but there can be a number of other doctors involved as well. Often this is an Anaesthetist but an Assistant Surgeon, Pathologist, Consultant Physician or Radiologist may also be involved in your care. Each of these doctors will be in private practice and will charge a fee and there might be an out-of-pocket cost to you.

The AMA and the Australian Health Service Alliance Ltd have worked together to find the most common procedures people undergo as private patients in hospital. The top 21 procedures carried out in hospital are listed below. Click on the links to find out the doctors most likely to be involved in each procedure.

This information is a broad guide only and may change on a patient by patient basis. Remember to ask your doctor who else might be involved in your procedure before you go to hospital as a private patient.

1. Colonoscopy
2. Gastroscopy, Oesophagoscopy
3. Cataract
4. Chemotherapy
5. Labour and delivery, with or without complications
6. Arthroscope, knee
7. Coronary angiography
8. Cystoscopy
9. Gall bladder removal
10. IVF
11. Hysteroscopy
12. Caesarian section
13. Ear grommets
14. Hernia repair
15. Dilatation and curettage
16. Knee replacement
17. Laparoscopy
18. Prostate, biopsy of
19. Removal of tonsils
20. Hip replacement
21. Vasectomy

Source: Australian Health Service Alliance Ltd, August 2006