Common procedures

An endoscopy is a day surgery procedure which will allow the specialist to examine the lining of your upper digestive tract.

You might need an endoscopy because you have abdominal pain, swallowing issues, vomiting, nausea, indigestion or suspected stomach or oesophageal cancer. The endoscopy can help determine what’s causing the issue through the specialist inserting a long flexible tube down your throat with a tiny camera onboard. While the endoscope − that’s the tube − is in your body, your doctor may take a biopsy or remove polyps if needed. Most endoscopies are done using conscious sedation, which means you will be awake but won’t feel any pain or remember the procedure.

However, because you will be sedated, you’ll need to arrange for someone to take you home afterwards as you will not be able to drive yourself. You will probably want to spend the rest of your day resting and not do anything strenuous as your coordination may be affected.

Your specialist and the hospital will provide you clear instructions to follow to help you prepare for your endoscopy, including when to start fasting. The procedure can only be performed with an empty stomach so it’s important to follow the advice very carefully.

An endoscopy isn’t typically painful, but some people report feeling a sore throat afterwards.  If you experience serious side effects including severe abdominal pain, vomiting, pass blood or have black bowel movements, you’ll need to contact your doctor or go to hospital.

If you choose to have your endoscopy in the private system, you’ll have more flexibility over your procedure date, and you can choose your own doctor. Ask your GP to refer you to a specialist who participates in CBHS’  Access Gap Cover scheme or for a list of specialists who may be willing to participate. Your GP can make it an open referral if you’d like to choose one yourself. You’ll also need to check the specialist is using a hospital which has an agreement with CBHS.

Before you lock anything in, check with CBHS to see what you’re covered for to reduce any potential gaps.

There are two types of mental health admissions – voluntary and involuntary. If you think a voluntary hospital stay might be what you need, you and your mental health professional will be able to discuss different options available in your local area. Staying in hospital as an inpatient is a big decision, but many people find that it is what it takes to help them get back to a healthier and happier headspace.

Reasons you may need a hospital stay might include if you are at risk of harming yourself or others, if you’re experiencing psychosis, or if you are unable to physically take care of yourself at home.  

Discuss the risks and benefits with your treating team or mental health professional. You will need to be prepared to be around others who might be acutely mentally unwell, which can be confronting.

It’s also best to contact the hospital, or have someone do this on your behalf, to find out more about what to bring with you. There will be some items that you won’t be able to have with you e.g. shoelaces, sharp objects, alcohol and illegal drugs. It’s best to leave them at home. At this point, we also encourage you to check with us about what you’re covered for. Our mental health guide has full information on how to access mental health hospital treatment with your cover.

On arrival, you will likely participate in a full assessment with mental health professionals. There may also be a period of time where you’re unable to leave the hospital or clinic voluntarily.

During your stay, the mental health team might prescribe you medications – or additional medications to those you already take. There may also be group or individual therapy sessions.

Care doesn’t stop when you’re ready to go home.  Speak with your team as to what support is available for you ongoing and what your treatment plan looks like once you’ve been discharged. Through your CBHS Hospital cover, you may be able to access hospital-quality care at home, which might allow you to shorten your stay. Learn more.

Further reading

• Our mental health guide
• Beyond Blue have an interesting online forum where people detail their experience voluntarily committing themselves as an inpatient.

A colonoscopy is a day procedure which allows a specialist to see inside your bowel (large intestine) and identify any issues which need treatment. Some of the symptoms which might lead to your GP offering a colonoscopy referral include gut pain, bloating, passing blood and changes to bowel habits. Your GP might also recommend a colonoscopy if he or she suspects bowel or colon cancer or if you have a family history of them.

Your GP will refer you to a gastroenterologist, which is a doctor who specialises in digestive system issues. The gastroenterologist will provide clear instructions on how to prepare for your procedure, as there are important things you’ll need to do in the lead-up to your colonoscopy so that the surgery can run smoothly. In the days immediately before the procedure you’ll have to eliminate some foods and also drink a quantity of ‘prep’ liquid to clean your bowel out.

During the procedure, your gastroenterologist and team will insert a long flexible tube called a ‘colonoscope’ into your anus. The scope takes images along the way, and your doctor may even remove polyps or take a biopsy if needed.

A colonoscopy is done under sedation, so you’ll be awake but not generally aware of what’s happening. It also ensures you won’t feel any pain.

Read full details in our guide to having a colonoscopy, which includes details on how to choose a doctor and hospital to reduce or eliminate any out-of-pocket costs.

Weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, physically reduces the size of your stomach so you feel fuller after a smaller amount of food. It’s known to be an effective way of losing weight when a person has exhausted all other options such as diet, exercise and medication. It’s generally only considered for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 and above.

While weight loss surgery is available in the public health system, there are only a limited number of publicly funded surgeries available. The criteria to be accepted for surgery is strict to ensure the places go to those most in need and who also demonstrate the right readiness for surgery. In the private health system, as long as your specialist considers you a good candidate for the surgery than you will be able to begin the process.

Losing weight comes with health benefits, so having bariatric surgery can improve your chances of living a longer, healthy life.

This article expands on the different types of bariatric surgery in more detail. Most people will be advised by their doctor to follow a very low energy diet for 2–4 weeks immediately before surgery. This is to reduce the size of the liver and the risk of complications.

In the weeks immediately after the surgery, most people will follow a liquid diet, and slowly reintroduce food. Bariatric surgery might sound like an ‘easy option’, but it’s not − it requires significant lifestyle changes afterwards. You’ll need to eat much smaller meals and consider the nutritional quality of the food you eat for life. Your specialist will probably also prescribe you physical activity and a multivitamin once you have recovered from the surgery itself.

Bariatric surgery is more effective when combined with ongoing nutritional care. Your specialist will be able to refer you to a dietitian who specialises in bariatrics.

Further reading

• Our article about weight loss surgery includes more information on the surgery itself and how to reduce your out-of-pocket costs. 

• Our weight management health guide.

The literal meaning of chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat disease. We now use the term to describe one of the most common forms of cancer treatment.

The drugs used in chemotherapy can kill cancer cells, stop them from multiplying or slow down their growth.

Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic medication to destroy or inhibit the growth and division of abnormal cells. There are many types of chemotherapy drugs and each works in a slightly differently way. Some drugs might interfere with the genetic make-up of cells; others might block access to the nutrients that cells need to divide and multiply.

It’s not uncommon for two or more drugs to be used during a course of chemotherapy, to improve the chance of successful treatment.

Chemotherapy drugs can be administered intravenously (through a thin tube into a vein), orally (by mouth), by injection or topically (for example using a cream for skin cancer).

Sometimes, chemotherapy is used in conjunction with other forms of treatment, for example, before or after surgery or radiotherapy. Some cancers can be cured using chemotherapy alone.

Every person reacts differently to chemotherapy. Cytotoxic drugs are powerful, and they target cells that divide, which means normal cells that regularly divide may be affected.

Some people experience no side effects, while other people can have severe side effects. Most side-effects are temporary (such as hair loss), most can be successfully managed (such as fatigue, nausea or muscle aches) and most side effects generally improve once chemotherapy stops.

Normal cells can usually repair or replace cells damaged by chemotherapy once the drug treatment finishes.

Some chemotherapy treatments are covered under most CBHS Hospital cover. You may also be able to have chemotherapy at home with our Hospital Substitute Treatment program. Call our Health and Wellness team on 1300 174 534 or email wellness@cbhs.com.au to find out more.

Further reading

Find out more about chemotherapy.

Find out more about cancer, plus cancer support and programs for CBHS members