RESPIRATORY SPECIALISTS

What is Respiratory Medicine?

Respiratory medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting the lungs and breathing.

Why be referred to a Respiratory Specialist?

Some of the reasons might include but are not limited to the following

Assessment of dyspnoea. Is it cardiac, is it respiratory, is it psychogenic? A Respiratory Physician will assess the patient and can arrange for appropriate cardiorespiratory testing.
Chronic Cough - We can help determine the aetiology and treat the symptoms
Unexplained wheeze. Wheeze does not always mean asthma – a Respiratory Physician can determine if there is another airways disorder or if there is a more sinister cause.
Haemoptysis. It is important to know whether this is benign and self limiting or the presenting symptom of malignancy.
Snoring. Does the patient have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)? We can arrange for ambulatory or in-hospital sleep studies and advise on treatment options.
Daytime sleepiness. Is it sleepiness or chronic fatigue? Does the patient have OSA or another disorder resulting in sleepiness. We can advise regarding appropriate investigation and management.
Poor asthma control. We can evaluate asthma severity and undertake investigations and provide management advice regarding less common contributing factors to poor control e.g. Samters triad, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA).
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). We can undertake lung function measurement and assess the need for oxygen. Advice regarding pulmonary rehabilitation and management of exacerbations can be provided.
Fit to fly? Fit to dive? Assessment and tests as required will be arranged.
Immigration medicals. Does the patient have tuberculosis or other chest disease abnormality that might affect residency status?
Abnormal Chest X-Rays. We will assess the patient and arrange further radiologic and pathologic testing as necessary. We specialise in clinico-pathological-radiological correlation. We are happy to review a CXR prior to requesting a CT .
Non-cardiac chest pain. One of the most common presentations to ED yet a cause is rarely found once acute coronary syndrome is excluded.
Hyperventilation syndrome. We can confirm diagnosis, excluding other important causes of breathlessness and chest tightness then arrange appropriate treatment

Information for Immigration Patients Requiring Sputum Tests

As part of the screening process for immigration status the respiratory physician may require the patient to undertake 3 induced sputum tests.

We will send the referral to the Greenlane Clinical Centre (at 214 Greenlane Road West, Epsom) and they will contact the patient directly to arrange for these tests to be done. (http://www.adhb.health.nz/patients-and-visitors/hospitals-and-clinics/greenlane-clinical-centre/)
The tests take place at Greenlane Clinical Centre on 3 consecutive days. Non-resident patients will be required to pay the full cost of the tests.
Sputum cultures take 6 weeks to grow. The laboratory will only issue the results of the sputum tests after the 6 week period has passed.
These results will then be sent to the Respiratory Physician the patient saw at Auckland Medical Specialists.
On receipt of the sputum test results, the Respiratory Physician will arrange for a report to be sent to Immigration New Zealand . A copy of this report will also be sent to the the referring doctor as well as to the patient.
Call Auckland Medical Specialists if you have not received the report 8 weeks from the time of sputum collection.

booking an appointment

If you have been advised by your GP to see a respiratory physician please call us on 09 638 9945 to book an appointment.

If English is not your first language and you have difficulty understanding or communicating in English please bring an interpreter with you or someone who can speak and understand English on your behalf.

Once you have an appointment, you will be sent two text-to-remind messages - the first one 7 days prior to your appointment and the second one 48 hours before the appointment. Please call us 09 638 9945 if you wish to cancel or change your appointment. Where possible we ask for at least 48 hours notice for any changes or cancellations.

CHARGES

Southern Cross Health Insurance Patients - Both the Respiratory Specialists at Auckland Medical Specialists are Affiliated Providers with Southern Cross. Please have your membership number handy at the time of booking so that we can apply for Prior Approval with Southern Cross prior your appointment.
All other health insurance patients - We require you to pay in full at the time of your consultation and will issue you with a receipt which you can use to claim back from your insurance company.
ACC patients - Please refer to the section on this website - Information for GPs - for information regarding ACC referrals.
All other patients - Payment is required in full at the time of the consultation. We accept cash, cheques, eftpos cards, Visa, Mastercard and AMEX.

Consultants

There are 2 Respiratory Specialists at Auckland Medical Specialists.
Head to our “Consultants” page to read more about each specialist.