Geriatric Perioperative Service
Based at Fremantle Hospital, this service provides assessment of older adult patients to optimise medical, physical, and psychological health before surgery and prevent postoperative complications. The service supports all surgical specialties, including:
- orthopaedics
- vascular
- gastrointestinal
- urology
- cardiothoracic.
The assessment process
A patient’s first clinic assessment will take up to one and half hours, with follow-up appointments lasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
A clinic nurse will take the patient’s medical history with medication list and perform the following:
- a cognitive test
- malnutrition and falls risk screening questions
- geriatric depression scale
- height, weight, blood pressure measurements
- a bladder scan.
Following this assessment, a geriatrician (a doctor who specialises in caring for older people) will undertake a comprehensive geriatric assessment involving a detailed history and physical examination.
During this assessment, the following may be recommended:
- changing the patient’s medication
- further treatments
- other investigative tests before surgery.
Follow-up reviews may include a return clinic appointment or with the patient’s GP.
The service also reviews patients after surgery for complications requiring comprehensive geriatric assessment.
Refer a patient
Referrals are accepted from:
- general practitioners (GP)
- anaesthetists
- surgeons
- other specialists
- nurse practitioners
- allied health professionals.
Referrals are accepted for patients considered for surgery with any of the following risk factors:
- systemic comorbidities including one major organ involvement
- poor nutritional status
- 2 or more falls in the past year
- significant memory problems, history of delirium/confusion, or known dementia
- inadequate pain management
- polypharmacy
- anticipated to require prolonged post-operative recovery
- alcohol or substance abuse/dependence
- frailty.
Referrals for patients outside of the catchment zone are accepted.
To refer a patient, referrers will need to complete the ereferral to the Geriatric outpatient service where the referral will be triaged and allocated to this clinic.
Central Referral Service
Healthlink Secure Messaging: crefserv
Phone: 1300 551 142
Fax: 1300 365 056
Email the CRS
Postal address: GPO Box 2566, St Georges Terrace, WA 6831
Contact us
Geriatric Perioperative Service
Phone: 9431 3659
Fax: 9431 3666
Location
Comprehensive Care Centre (Ward F4)
F Block, Fremantle Hospital, Alma St, Fremantle – see the Fremantle Hospital map (PDF 837KB)
Hours of operation
12.30pm – 4.30pm, Tuesday