Contact Us

Most questions can be answered in the FAQ sections of our website, found under the “Adult Patients” and “Paediatric Patients” tabs. For all other enquiries, choose from the following options:

For billing enquiries:

support@tcihealth.com.au

or visit

Anaemate Billing Assistance

For all other enquiries:

  1. Reply to the text message you receive from Dr Jack Madden prior to your surgery (fastest response)

  2. Complete the help form below

  3. Email: admin@maddenanaesthesia.com.au

Get Help:

Frequently Asked Questions

Adult Patients

  • This will depend on the procedure. Most surgery will involve a general anaesthetic.

    The following surgeries often involve sedation only:

    - Eye surgery (light sedation)

    - Gastroscopy/Colonoscopy (deep sedation)

    - Some hand surgery

    The following surgeries may also involve a "nerve block":

    - Shoulder surgery

    - Ankle surgery

  • Anaesthesia is very safe, however, it is important to undertand the risks involved. Please view the document above to learn about the risks that are relevant to you. 

  • Your pain will be managed using a combination of tablets. You may also have local anaesthetic (numbing solution) injected during the surgery, which can provide several hours of pain relief. 

    You may be provided with strong pain relief to take home. You will be given instructions on how and when to take these. It is important to continue taking paracetamol, and often an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen in the days after your surgery. 

    Some patients should not take anti-inflammatories, so always read the patient information prior to taking these. 

  • Most patients will be awake and alert within a few hours of their procedure. In rare cases, drowsiness can persist for longer. 

    You will be unable to drive or operate heavy machinery until the following day. Some surgeries will preclude you from driving for longer than this, so always clarify this with your surgeon. 

  • You will need to be fasted from solid food (including milk) for 6 hours. If your procedure is in the morning, don't eat food after midnight. If you are an afternoon case, you may have breakfast before 7am. 

    Continue drinking clear fluids until you arrive at the hospital. This includes black tea or coffee, water, sports drinks and clear juice. 

  • Awareness during surgery is exceptionally rare. I will take steps to avoid this from happening. The risk of awareness during surgery is less than 1 in 8000 cases. 

    If you would like more information on this, please ask me on the day of surgery. 

  • Most medications are safe to continue, even on the day of surgery. The following drugs may need to be ceased:

    1. Blood thinners (aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin, ticagrelor, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban). Your surgeon will provide information about this.

    2. Diabetes medications (such as insulin, metformin, any drug ending in "flozin"). You will be given instructions about this be your surgeon or your anaesthetist. Please ask if you need instructions. 

    3. Naltrexone, Contrave or any drug containing naltrexone needs to be stopped at least 3 days prior to surgery. Your surgery may be postponed if you are still taking naltrexone on the day of surgery. 

    I am happy for you to continue any pain or anxiety medications, even on the morning of surgery. It is important that you turn up to hospital as relaxed and comfortable as possible. 

  • This is a common situation. It is usually safe to proceed if you're at the tail end of the common cold. 

    Reasons to delay surgery are:

    1. You have new chest symptoms (wheeze, cough, shortness of breath), fevers or would not be well enough to present to work. 

    2. You also smoke, vape or have other lung disease such as asthma or COPD. 

    3. You have an infection that has not yet responded to medical therapy. 

    4. You may have a contagious condition that places healthcare workers at risk such as gastroenteritis. 

    If you were recently unwell and still have mild symptoms, it is best to present to hospital on the day of surgery to be assesed by your anaesthetist. 

  • You do not need to stop this medication, however, it is essential to inform your anaesthetist that you are taking it. 

  • This is common for procedures such as eye surgery, gastroscopy, colonoscopy, minor surgery and surgery performed through major vessels (angiography). 

    Sedation is often chosen for these surgeries because it is safer and may provide better operating conditions for the surgeon. There are several ways to provide anaesthesia for these procedures:

    • Eye surgery (light sedation)

    Your eye will be kept numb with eye drops, and I will provide medication via the vein that makes you  feel calm and relaxed. You will usually be awake enough to follow instructions. Most patients find light sedation very pleasant. 

    • Gastroscopy/Colonoscopy (deep sedation)

    You will be kept deeply sedated, similar to a general anaesthetic. You may remember feeling some tummy distension or hearing voices, sometimes even seeing the staff in the room. Rest assured that you will never be in a situation where you are awake but cannot move. The recovery from this type of anaesthetic is usually smooth and quick. 

    • Minor surgery (such as carpal tunnel release)

    In some surgeries the only painful part is the injection of local anaesthetic at the start of the procedure. In this case, you will be briefly unconscious during the local anaesthetic injection, and then awake but calm with your anaesthetist next to you throughout the procedure. If you're awake, you will always be able to communicate with us. If you feel pain, let us know and we can take steps to treat it. 

  • In Australia, private patients often receive an out-of-pocket expense for their anaesthetic because the total fee for anaesthetic services can be higher than what is covered by Medicare and private health insurance. While Medicare and insurance will cover part of the cost, they don’t always cover the full amount. Anaesthetists, like other medical specialists, set their fees based on the complexity of the procedure, their level of expertise, and the time involved. 

    The gap between what Medicare and your insurance pay and the anaesthetist’s fee is called the "gap payment," and that’s where the out-of-pocket cost comes in. The Medicare and health fund rebates have lagged well behind inflation for the last 15 years, which is why most episodes of care will involved a gap payment. 

    You will receive information about any expected gap payments before your procedure. If you have any questions about your financial consent, please contact our staff via the instructions on your quote or invoice.

  • Modern anaesthesia is generally safe for breastfeeding. Most anaesthetic drugs wear off very quickly and only tiny amounts enter the breast milk. There is no evidence to support pumping and discarding.

    If you require strong pain relief after your surgery, this is also generally safe for a short period.

    Be sure to let your anaesthetist know that you are breastfeeding. There will be time to answer questions around this on the day. 

Paediatric Patients

  • This is a common situation. It is usually safe to proceed if they're at the tail end of the common cold. 

    Reasons to delay surgery are:

    1. New chest symptoms (wheeze, cough, shortness of breath) or fevers. 

    2. They have other lung disease such as asthma or parental smoking in the home. 

    3. They have an infection that has not yet responded to medical therapy. 

    4. They may have a contagious condition that places healthcare workers at risk such as gastroenteritis. 

    If they were recently unwell and still have mild symptoms, it is best to present to hospital on the day of surgery to be assesed by your anaesthetist. 

  • Your child needs to fast from solid food for six hours. For morning cases, this usually means no food after midnight. Afternoon cases may allow a light breakfast. The hospital will confirm the exact plan for your child.

    Clear fluids are safe to continue until you arrive at the hospital. Water, apple juice, other clear juices, and electrolyte drinks are all okay. Anything cloudy, like milk or smoothies, is not considered a clear fluid.

  • Yes. One support person can come into the theatre and stay right up until your child goes to sleep. Once they’re asleep, our team will walk you back to the ward, and you’ll return to meet your child in the recovery room when they wake up.

  • Most children drift off to sleep breathing through a soft, strawberry-scented mask. Children over 5 may have numbing cream on their hands so I can place a small cannula prior to going to sleep. I’ll talk this through with you and your child beforehand.

  • They may look a little different or breathe in unusual ways as the anaesthetic takes effect. They will usually relax and become floppy. This is completely normal, but it can feel confronting if it’s your first time seeing it. We’ll be there to guide and reassure you.

  • It’s very common for parents to feel emotional at this point. We get it. Our team will understand and support you the whole way through.

  • One of the nurses will guide you back to the ward. I’ll stay with your child for the entire procedure, keeping them safe, asleep, and comfortable. I will place an IV cannula and a small breathing tube as needed for the surgery.

  • You’ll see your child in the Recovery Room (PACU) as they wake up. From their point of view, it often feels like you never left.

  • Yes. Many children are upset, teary, or unsettled for around 20–30 minutes. This is most common under the age of 6. This is usually the anaesthetic wearing off rather than pain. You can expect your child to be alert and hungry within about an hour of the surgery.

  • Some children feel a bit nauseated or may vomit. It’s usually mild, doesn’t harm the surgical site, and we can treat it if it happens.

  • Paracetamol and ibuprofen are normally all that’s needed, and should be continued regularly for at least a week. They can be given together or separately, at the doses written on the box. Days three and four can be a little more uncomfortable, so keep pain relief regular around then.

  • Once they’re fully awake, the icy poles will begin! If they’re comfortable, they can move on to light food. There are no restrictions around oral intake once your child is awake.

  • Awareness during surgery is exceptionally rare. I will take steps to avoid this from happening. The risk of awareness during surgery is less than 1 in 8000 cases. 

    If you would like more information on this, please ask me on the day of surgery. 

  • In Australia, private patients often receive an out-of-pocket expense for their anaesthetic because the total fee for anaesthetic services can be higher than what is covered by Medicare and private health insurance. While Medicare and insurance will cover part of the cost, they don’t always cover the full amount. Anaesthetists, like other medical specialists, set their fees based on the complexity of the procedure, their level of expertise, and the time involved. 

    The gap between what Medicare and your insurance pay and the anaesthetist’s fee is called the "gap payment," and that’s where the out-of-pocket cost comes in. The Medicare and health fund rebates have lagged well behind inflation for the last 15 years, which is why most episodes of care will involved a gap payment. 

    You will receive information about any expected gap payments before your procedure. If you have any questions about your financial consent, please follow the contact details on the quote or invoice provided, or head to our “Contact” page.

  • You’re welcome to reply directly to the text message you received this video from, or head to our Contact page.

    For urgent and serious concerns after hours, the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department is your first stop.