Be it burning in your chest after a glass of red, or involuntarily burping up your breakfast, the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux can really disrupt your day-to- day schedule.
Still, many of us put up with this, or use over-the- counter medications to mask the symptoms, because of all the steps required to investigate.
First, an appointment with your GP for a referral. Then, an initial specialist consultation, which you’ll be lucky to get in a matter of weeks, if not months - and all before the actual procedure, an endoscopy under general anaesthetic.
An endoscopy is when a thin, bendy tube with a camera and light attached is passed through the mouth and throat to examine the upper GI tract (a gastroscopy), or through the rectum (a colonoscopy) to examine the lower GI tract.
However it is possible to book yourself in for endoscopies under general anaesthetic without having seen a specialist prior, if you are experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort: it’s called an Rapid Access Endoscopy (RAE). But you have to be the right candidate.
“A good example of an ideal candidate is a healthy 50-year-old with a positive faecal occult blood test [where traces of blood have been found in the stool] through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program”, Interventional Endoscopist Dr Darren Pavey said.
Typically, a patient like this is otherwise healthy and is not taking regular medications. Other potential candidates include healthy patients in their 50s requiring routine surveillance due to a colon polyps history, or a family history of bowel cancer or colon polyps.
RAE is not recommended for the elderly, or anyone with a heart condition, respiratory illness, or liver or kidney disease. Medications such as blood thinners need acknowledging, as do previous complicated procedures. Some patients with past medical issues may still get the go-ahead - but for patient safety, these do need addressing in an initial specialist consult.
The benefits of RAE
Fewer appointments mean less time away from work or family commitments, and less money spent.
“Timely access to healthcare is also a significant issue and RAE [begins] to address that issue,” Dr Pavey said.
“With RAE, a patient does not need to wait four-to-six weeks to get in to see a specialist to schedule the procedure…wait times to see a specialist may be much longer, particularly in regional centres.”
If you are worried, this wait-time can be unsettling.
Is a GP referral required?
Strictly speaking, no. But if you think you might be eligible for a RAE, Dr Pavey recommended you see your GP to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Your GP will know whether the procedure is indicated for your particular situation; if given the go-ahead, you will only receive a Medicare and health fund rebate if the specialist receives a referral – which also provides peace of mind that you’ll be in good hands.
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