Can I really have everything done in one day?
Yes!
One of the big frustrations with any medical diagnostic process is the inevitable waiting for appointments, procedures and results. Typically it can take 3 months to get a date to see a specialist, then after that another 2 to 3 weeks to get an MRI. Following that, it might take a similar time period to get back in to see the Urologist for the results.
After that, if a biopsy is needed based on what the MRI shows, this could take 4 to 6 weeks to schedule. And then finally the biopsy results can take up to 4 weeks.
So in total a patient could be waiting 28 weeks or 7 months from the time they were referred by their GP, until they know whether they have prostate cancer or not! And this is the private sector in New Zealand at the moment….
At Ormiston Urology, we think this is unacceptable.
Our commitment is to see you as soon as possible after your referral, and then get everything done in 1 DAY - your appointment with the Urologist, the biopsy and the MRI
Then, by thinking outside the box, we have ensured that you will get your biopsy results within 48 hours - at no extra cost to your or your insurance provider
How is this possible? We have worked hard to streamline our processes, use the best equipment available and partner with experts in their fields. And most importantly, we put ourselves in your shoes, the patient, and understand that no one enjoys the waiting and the anxiety of a possible cancer diagnosis. Knowledge is power, and our goal is to give you the highest quality diagnostic information as quickly as possible, so that your are equipped to make decisions about your health immediately
What Happens on the Day?
Our team will be in touch with you ahead of time to send you information on what to expect and how your visit will run.
You do not need to be starved for your visit and can have a normal breakfast that morning and drink coffee/tea etc. as normal. You can drive yourself in and home once your visit is over. If you are on any blood thinning medications, our staff will advise you when to stop these prior to your visit.
Typically, we would plan your visit with the following steps:
Meet your Urologist, a member of our team
Have the prostate MRI scan nearby
Return immediately to discuss the results
Have the biopsy done within 1-2 hours, if needed
Then, within 48 hours, we expect to have your biopsy results and we will see you to discuss this.
If you are visiting from out of town and cannot stay for 48 hours, we can give you your results over the phone if this is acceptable to you.
Meeting your Urologist:
You will be seen by Kamran or Morgan who will take a detailed history and perform an examination, including a prostate examination
Have the prostate MRI:
We will have pre-booked you a slot with our imaging partner, who are located less than 100m from our premises. The scan takes 30min and does not require an intravenous injection.
Return for the results:
After the scan, you can come straight back to our offices and your Urologist will see you again, show you the MRI images of your prostate, and let you know if there are any suspicious lesions seen. Based on the size of your prostate, the level of your PSA reading and how fast it has been rising, and whether the MRI shows suspicious lesions, your Urologist will advise if you a biopsy is required
Have the biopsy done:
If a biopsy is required, we will be able to do this within 1-2 hours. Our practice nurse will give you a strong IV antibiotic 30-60min prior to the biopsy. Depending on the timing during the day and what time you are seen, you may be able to pop out for brunch or lunch and come back for the biopsy afterward.
We perform the biopsy onsite in our procedure room, under local anaesthetic. No sedation is required. We use our state-of-the-art Artemis fusion biopsy system to ensure a high quality, accurate biopsy, so there is no doubt about ‘missing’ a tumour. Read more about Artemis here.
The biopsy procedure is usually well tolerated and is not very painful - we liken it to going to the dentist. The procedure takes about 12 minutes.
Afterward, we ask you to wait onsite for about 15 minutes to make sure you feel okay. You can enjoy a tea/coffee and some light refreshments if you wish.
