Information for Patients

REFERRAL PROCESS

You will require a referral letter from your local GP or another specialist in order to see Dr Maliyasena. The referral is often sent directly to Dr Maliyasena via secure electronic messaging but if this has not occurred, please forward your referral to the rooms to ensure your appointment is prioritised accordingly.

​

Dr Maliyasena will review the referral before you are offered an appointment. This is to ensure that referrals are categorised according to clinical urgency, and to ensure that all necessary investigations (such as comprehensive lung function tests, blood tests or imaging) have been arranged prior to your appointment.

​

WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT

Please bring the following items with you to your appointment:

• Your Medicare card

• Blood results (if you have a copy)

• Chest X-rays films (including current and any previous studies *films preferable to CD)

• CT chest films (including current and any previous studies *films preferable to CD)

• Any other imaging studies of the chest (e.g. V/Q scan)

• A list of your current medications

• Your current inhalers +/- spacers

​

THE CONSULTATION

An initial consultation may last up to 60 minutes.  During this time, Dr Maliyasena will take a full medical history and conduct a thorough physical examination.   She will also review any investigations you have had, so please remember to bring your chest x-rays and/or CT scan images (films preferable to CD) to your appointment. Following this, Dr Maliyasena will explain the likely diagnosis and discuss the management plan with you (including follow-up consultations). In some circumstances, you may require further investigations in order to confirm the diagnosis but Dr Maliyasena will discuss these with you during your appointment.  Dr Maliyasena strongly believes in ensuring her patients understand the information they have been provided with, and you will always have an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the consultation.

​

FEES

You will be provided with information about out-of-pocket expenses when making your appointment. Payment is expected and appreciated on the day of your appointment.

Useful Links

THE LUNGS AND LUNG HEALTH

Lung Foundation Australia is a great resource for both health care professionals and patients alike.  The Lung Health area provides useful information for patients about how the lungs work, the symptoms of lung disease, lung function testing and the impact of smoking and air pollutants.

SMOKING CESSATION

Smoking is strongly associated with lung disease but stopping can be incredibly difficult.  Here are some resources that may help:

Quitline13 78 48  – provides information and advice for those who want to stop smoking.

Quit Now is an excellent site that provides information about the importance of smoking cessation as well as a variety of quitting methods with practical tips and tools (including apps).

Quit Coach is a free online interactive website to help you stop smoking

​

DISEASE SPECIFIC LINKS

​

Asthma 

• National Asthma Council of Australia

• Asthma Australia

• Action Plans

• Inhaler technique videos

COPD

• The Basics

• Inhaler technique videos and fact sheets

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation (for patients)

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Toolkit (for health professionals)

Bronchiectasis

• The Basics

• Bronchiectasis Toolbox

Cystic fibrosis

• The Basics

Pneumonia

• The Basics

Tuberculosis

• The Basics

Non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease

• NTM Australia

Pulmonary embolism

• The Basics

• Warfarin

• Novel Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs)

Lung cancer

• Lung Foundation 

• Cancer Australia

• Cancer Council Australia

Mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung disease

• Mesothelioma

• Asbestos related lung disease

• Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia

Sarcoidosis

• The Basics

Interstitial lung diseases

• The Basics

• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

• Cryptogenic organising pneumonia

​

Occupational lung diseases

• Overview

• Silicosis 

• Asbestosis

• Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis (CWP)

Rare lung diseases

• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)

• Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

• The Basics

Obstructive sleep apnoea and sleep-disordered breathing

• The Basics

• CPAP

• Obesity Australia information sheets

PROCEDURES

Bronchoscopy

CT guided biopsy

​

​