Emergency Department

Cabrini’s emergency department remains open as usual. While remaining vigilant against COVID-19, it's more important than ever not to forget other aspects of your health. We're open and we're here for you.

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. 

If you need to be admitted to hospital after presenting to the ED, your treating team will guide you through the next steps for your care. To ensure your admission is as fast and seamless as possible, the team in ED will organise your admission to the most appropriate Cabrini facility.

If you are presenting to Cabrini's emergency department with any symptoms of COVID-19, please phone the emergency department on (03) 9508 1500 before presenting in person at 183 Wattletree Road, Malvern. 

The symptoms to watch out for are fever, chills or sweats, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose and loss or change in sense of smell or taste. In certain circumstances headache, muscle soreness, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea may also be considered.

We ask that you remain outside and follow the instructions of staff. The Cabrini emergency team will assess patients for risk of COVID-19, in line with Department of Health criteria and will take appropriate precautions to ensure your safety and that of our other patients and staff.

If you are attending Cabrini for your care, please ensure your treating team is made aware if you:

• have any symptoms relating to COVID-19 (cough, runny nose, sore throat, loss of sense of taste or smell, breathlessness, chills or sweats)
• are a known close contact of a positive COVID-19 case
• are awaiting the result of a COVID-19 test
• have been to any Department of Health declared public exposure sites, or you have returned from a red or orange zone under Victoria's travel permit system, and have not yet completed the directives regarding testing and quarantining

If you have serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, call 000 and ask for an ambulance (inform them you may have symptoms of COVID-19).

For further advice about symptoms or testing, please call the Department of Health's 24 hour coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398.

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

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.

Coping with COVID-19 – A guide to speaking to children about returning to ‘normal’ school life

Cabrini paediatric specialist Dr Daniel Golshevsky has a number of ways parents and caregivers can make the transition back to school as smooth as possible for children, and how to alleviate some common anxieties.

1. The most important tip is to talk about COVID-19

Don't avoid or dismiss the topic, it's impossible to ignore it and children are not oblivious. It's also important they remember to practice safe distancing and hand hygiene at school. But the number one rule is just be honest – the vast majority of people infected with this virus make a full recovery, with only mild symptoms of a 'cold'.

2. Avoid unnecessary stresses

Most of us will watch the news or talk about topical events, which may include coronavirus deaths in the US or troubling statistics out of Europe. But be mindful to filter these conversations and news-exposure to be age-appropriate.

3. Talk about fears and the health and safety of grandparents

It’s important to explain that the elderly are the most at-risk, but we can 'do our part' in protecting them, by practicing hand-hygiene and social distancing. We have terrific hospitals in Australia and one of the best healthcare systems in the world to look after our elderly if they become unwell. Again, you can reiterate that most people make full recoveries and do not need to attend hospital at all.

4. What can we do about COVID-19?

Explain that scientists all over the world are looking for a cure/vaccine and that we have thousands of vaccines for other viruses, so we're hopeful we'll find one for this too. Again, remind children that hand hygiene, staying home when symptomatic, coughing/sneezing into elbows, elbow-tap greetings and social distancing are still just as important.

5. Focus on general health

It goes without saying, but sleep, diet and exercise are essential for growing children, keeping healthy during this time is as important as ever.

6. Be on the lookout for signs of anxiety

Often these signs can be quite subtle but will show in the form of behavioural changes, difficulty sleeping or tantrums. Some children may find it difficult to concentrate or you might notice reduced performance academically. Compulsive behaviour can also be another sign, such as excessive hand washing.

If you have any concerns at all, Cabrini’s emergency department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cabrini Emergency has a number of specialists skilled in paediatrics.  A 50 per cent discount applies to the emergency attendance fee for students of registered schools and preschools and junior members of registered sporting clubs, aged 17 years and younger.

For more information, go to cabrini.com.au/emergency

To find a Cabrini paediatrician, click here.

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 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.