Emergency Department

Cabrini is following all DHHS, Commonwealth and other official recommendations to respond to the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Cabrini is well-equipped to diagnose and manage any patients who may have an infectious disease, including coronavirus. We have stringent infection control procedures to ensure the safety of our staff and patients and have a dedicated infectious diseases unit for any patients with coronavirus who need to be admitted.

>> Self-assessment for risk of coronavirus (COVID-19)

Please visit Cabrini's Coronavirus page for full information on changes across Cabrini's campuses.

Information for patients

If you have a runny nose, shortness of breath, cough or fever and have returned from overseas in the past 14 days, or if you have been in direct contact with someone who has been overseas and has these symptoms, please seek medical advice.

We ask that patients experiencing any of these symptoms who are concerned they may have coronavirus to phone the Cabrini Malvern Emergency Department on (03) 9508 1500 before presenting in person at 183 Wattletree Road, Malvern. We ask that you remain outside and follow the instructions of staff.

The Cabrini Emergency Department will assess patients for risk of coronavirus, in line with DHHS criteria.

For further information on coronavirus (COVID-19), please refer to the Department of Health and Human Services website or contact their dedicated hotline on 1800 675 398.

Cabrini’s Alan, Ada and Eva Selwyn Emergency Department (ED) is a Monash University teaching facility staffed by specialist emergency physicians and highly skilled nurses 24 hours, 7 days a week. We treat all emergency conditions (except major trauma) including: cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, general and aged care medicine, neurology and neurosurgery, oncology, intensive care, obstetrics, and paediatrics.

With the opening of the new Gandel Wing, our expanded ED now offers a dedicated radiology suite - equipped with general x-ray, ultrasound, and a CT scanner – enabling faster diagnosis to allow our ED doctors to promptly determine the best treatment plan for patients. This is further supported by rapid access to Cabrini specialists.

We treat more than 24,000 adults, infants, children and adolescents every year. Our focus is to serve our community and provide our patients and their families with high-quality and compassionate care. 

We care for all acute emergency conditions (except major trauma) including medical, surgical, obstetric and paediatric cases. We also provide:

• 24 hour general radiology and CT
• 24 hour pathology services
• After hours ultrasound, nuclear medicine, MRI and other investigation services for urgent cases
• Follow-up phone call program for each patient discharged from the ED
• Injury clinic with dedicated specialist Sports Physicians
• Physiotherapy assessment of acute cases
• Referral to Cabrini specialists

We welcome all patients, whether they are ‘walk in’, referred to us by their GP, or arrive via ambulance. Our wait time to see a doctor is visible both on the Cabrini website and in our waiting area, and is updated every few minutes.

Our follow-up phone call program after each patient is discharged from the ED reflects our dedication to providing high-quality care and enhancing the patient experience.

We have an active emergency specialist training program, accredited by the Australian College for Emergency Medicine. We are also active in Emergency Medicine research, leading in the area of Medical scribes to improve patient outcomes. 

Your total emergency account will vary depending upon the treatment(s) you receive on the day. The emergency attendance fee is a fixed out-of-pocket cost and applies to all patients including Medicare card and private health insurance holders. Unfortunately, this fee is not covered by the government or health funds. This fee is necessary for us to be able to offer a high-quality emergency service to the community. If you require pathology or medical imaging services, some out-of-pocket charges may apply in addition to the emergency attendance fee.

The below fee estimates are for eligible Medicare-card holders.

Attendance Fee Weekdays  8am – 6pm $410 All other times $480

Pathology  Charges Maximum out-of-pocket cost for Medicare claimable outpatient pathology services if applicable $110

Medical Imaging  Charges Maximum out-of-pocket cost for Medicare claimable outpatient medical imaging services if applicable $400

Additional  Charges Non-Medicare claimable items such as specialist pathology tests, MRI, take home items and prescription based pharmacy items if applicable

Your out-of-pocket costs will contribute to your Medical Safety Net. Notes:

• If you are admitted to the hospital, we will provide you with financial information relating to your admission.
• Non-Medicare entitled patients (i.e. international visitors) are liable for Medicare fees in addition to the above.

Payment of accounts:

• Emergency Department medical account and discharge pharmacy items are payable prior to discharge.
• Invoices for Pathology, Medical Imaging and take-home items will be mailed to patients.

Student discount

We offer a 50 per cent discount of our emergency attendance fee to students of registered schools and preschools and junior members of registered sporting clubs, aged 17 years and younger. The 50 per cent discount applies to the attendance fee only and does not include any further out-of-pocket expenses, such as x-rays and blood tests.

• Register your school or sports club
• View the list of registered pre-schools, primary and high schools

Sporting club partnerships

Cabrini Emergency Department proudly supports junior football clubs in the South-Eastern region of Melbourne.  We offer a 50 per cent discount of our emergency attendance fee, and if required a bulk-billed Sports Physician follow-up visit on the Monday for cases seen on the weekend. Participating sporting clubs are:

• View the list of participating Football Victoria Clubs
• View the list of participating South Metro Junior Football League Clubs

If you attend our ED as a result of a sporting incident, your club insurance may cover some of your medical costs. Please take your receipts to the club once they have been paid for possible reimbursement.

We have prepared an extensive series of patient information sheets that relate to many of the common injuries and ailments of people presenting to our ED. The following sheets detail the typical treatments, what to expect, follow up information and how to seek help if symptoms or conditions don't improve.

Education and clinical research are important elements of what we do. Cabrini Emergency Department is part of Monash Partners, an innovative partnership program connecting researchers, clinicians and community to innovate for better health for Victorians.

Our emergency physicians and staff are involved with several leading research initiatives. Click here to find out more about our Researchers, Scribe program and Academic Publications.

If you are interested in conducting research with us, whether as a collaborator or trainee, please contact Dr Walker via email: kwalker@cabrini.com.au or call (03) 9508 1550.

We welcome support from our valued donors who fund our research projects. If you are interested in learning more about making a tax-deductible donation to our emergency department programs, please get in touch with Cabrini Foundation on (03) 9508 1380.