Gastroenterology and Hepatology
We care for patients with diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
checkViewport(), 100)"> What we do
Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital provides a specialist service for the diagnosis and management of diseases and conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract and liver.
Gastroenterology cares for patients with disorders of the gastrointestinal system including:
- bowel cancer screening
- inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- gastroesophageal reflux disease
- GI motility
- Coeliac disease
- pancreatic and hepatobiliary diseases.
Hepatology cares for patients with any symptom or disease associated with the liver including:
- hepatitis C
- hepatitis B
- abnormal liver function
- non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- alcoholic liver disease
- Cirrhosis (including scarring of the liver) and complications
- hepatocellular Carcinoma
- immune and hereditary liver diseases
- autoimmune liver disease
- hemochromatosis
- iron deficiency anaemia.
Specialised clinics and procedures within the department include:
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) clinic
- GI motility clinic
- endoscopy
- colonoscopy
- Fibroscan.
checkViewport(), 100)"> Where to find us
Outpatient Department, Level 3 (ground floor), Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Check appointment information and screens on arrival at the RAH, for the specific location of your appointment or procedure.
checkViewport(), 100)"> Who we are
Consultants
- A/Prof. William Tam - Head of Unit
- A/Prof Edmund Tse - Head of Hepatology
- Dr Kate Lynch - Head of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) service
- Dr Nam Nguyen - Endoscopy and Colonoscopy service
- Dr Paul Kuo - Head of GI motility and laboratory services
You need a referral from a GP or medical practitioner to access this service.
Once your referral has been received it will be triaged according to clinical urgency.
If your referral is accepted, you will either:
- receive a letter, phone call or text message confirming your appointment or procedure time, date and location
- receive a letter confirming you have been waitlisted for an appointment.
If the referral is declined, your GP or referring medical practitioner will be notified.
Outpatient services
Find out information about specialist outpatient appointments, how to be referred, plus information when attending an outpatient clinic.
checkViewport(), 100)"> Your outpatient appointment
Contact us to:
- change your appointment time
- cancel your appointment
- find out triage status
- general outpatient enquiries.
If you need to cancel or change your appointment time, let us know as soon as possible.
checkViewport(), 100)"> What to know when having a procedure
Get information, learn about your appointment and know what to expect before attending an endoscopy, colonoscopy or Fibroscan procedure at the RAH.
- Oesophageal Function Testing - needs updating
- Endoscopy/Gastroscopy - external website from 2012
- ERCP: a test that uses a type of X-ray. It is used to diagnose and treat problems with the liver and biliary system - external website from 2010
- Capsule Endoscopy - external website 2012
- Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) - this link is broken
- Colonoscopy - external website
- Colonoscopy Clinical Care Standard - Consumer Fact Sheet - external website from 2018
- Anorectal Function Testing - needs updating
- Flexible Sigmoidoscopy - external website
A fibroscan, or elastography, is a liver scan that tests for stiffness or scarring. It is used to assess liver health, function and guide treatment options.
ADD SPECIFIC PATIENT INFO HERE
Preparing for surgery
The healthier you are going into surgery, the stronger you will be coming out. Find tips and resources to help you get ready for surgery.
checkViewport(), 100)"> Resources
We accept GP and specialist referrals to this service.
eReferrals are preferred.
Use the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria (CPC) as a referral guide.
To ensure timely triage, include all demographic and clinical details.
The service triages referrals according to clinical urgency.
- Gastroenterology Clinical Prioritisation Criteria (CPC) SA Health website
- Hepatology Clinical Prioritisation Criteria (CPC) SA Health website
- Email RAH outpatient referral hub HealthRAHOPDReferrals@sa.gov.au
- Fax RAH outpatient referral hub 7074 6247
- Phone RAH outpatient referral hub (clinicians only) 7117 2838
Urgent and serious referrals
If you are concerned about the appointment being delayed or if the patient's condition is deteriorating, contact the registrar to discuss.
Registrars are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Patients requiring immediate assessment should be sent directly to the Emergency Department.
Discharge guidelines
Patients whose medical condition has stabilised or resolved, and where no further appointment has been made, will be formally discharged.
If medical assessment is required again, a new referral should be made explaining the reason.
checkViewport(), 100)"> Resources
We are continually looking at ways to improve health outcomes via clinical trials, which are essential for the development of new medical treatments.
Coordinators within the Gastroenterology and Hepatology unit recruit and manage clinical trials over the various sub-specialities.
For more information on clinical trials that are currently running, please contact us.
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LIST OF CLINICAL TRIALS IF YOU WANT
(With view of linking to Research / Clinical trials information when launched)