Clinical Physiology
What is Clinical Physiology?
Clinical Physiology is a diagnostic specialty to which patients are referred to undergo specialised tests of functions of the heart, lungs and other organs.
What we do
We are a dedicated group, passionate about patient care and accurate diagnostic test outcomes to help guide clinical management.
Tests we perform include:
- ECG
- Exercise Treadmill Test (ETT)
- Holter Monitors
- Event Monitors
- Blood Pressure Monitors
- Echocardiograms
- Dobutamine Stress Echo (DSE)
- Exercise Stress Echo (ESE)
- Transoesophageal Echo (TOE)
- Spirometry
- Full Lung Function
- Pacemaker and ICD follow-up
- Electroencephalograms (EEG)
Booking Information and Waiting Times
Echo
Echo resource is limited with a strict DNA policy.
Routine priority wait time is currently one year; semi-urgent priority is approximately 3 months and urgent 2 – 4 weeks.
Outpatient and inpatient echo appointments run daily Monday – Friday 8am to 3.30pm.
DSE and ESE resource is very limited, lists commonly run on a Wednesday morning every other month.
An outpatient TOE list is performed every month for 2 – 3 patients. Inpatient TOE is arranged as per Cardiologist and Sonographer availability.
Taupō clinic available.
ETT
Standard outpatient lists run on Thursdays 9am to 3.30pm.
Inpatient ETT arranged as per Supervisor and tech availability. Wait time is currently ~ 2 – 4 weeks.
Full Lung Function
Resource is limited. Standard outpatient lists run on Fridays. Wait time is currently ~ less than 3 months.
Spirometry and ECG
Can be performed on arrival to outpatient clinic appointments. Otherwise these are booked ad hoc.
Monitor
Fittings are booked throughout the week, waiting time is currently less than 3 months.
Pacemaker Clinics are run once a week in Rotorua and once every fortnight in Taupō Hospital.
EEG
EEGs are performed by a contracted Technologist who comes once a week on Wednesdays.
ETT, Echo, DSE, ESE, TOE, Full Lung Function and EEG are only performed at Rotorua Hospital.
How to find us
Our workroom is located on the ground floor, accessed via the Outpatients entrance.
Workroom extension: 7893
Our team
Clinical Physiology is a small but diverse team performing cardiac, respiratory and neurological diagnostic tests.
We are Cardiac Sonographers, Cardiac and Respiratory Physiologists and Physiology Technicians.
Team Leader: Stacey Neilson (Cardiac Sonographer, Cardiac Physiologist), ext 7893
Krissy McFarlane, Cardiac Sonographer
Andre Greyling, Cardiac Sonographer
Tina Molony, Cardiac Sonographer
Christine Shanahan, Cardiac Physiologist
Shamara Moulin, Cardiac Physiologist
Eddie Tamuno, Provisional Cardiac Physiologist
Cathy Reader, Respiratory Physiologist
Rhea Planca, Provisional Respiratory Physiologist
Veronica Kaptein, EEG Physiologist
Courtney Holt, Administrator
General email: CPD@lakesdhb.govt.nz & ClinicalPhysiologyAdmin@lakesdhb.govt.nz