Southern DHB Cardiology

Public Service, Cardiology

Description

The Cardiology Service is a tertiary level (specialised) provider for diagnostic and interventional cardiology. This means we investigate whether a patient has a heart condition and deal specifically with the catheter based treatment of structural heart diseases. Our service incorporates a general ward and a Coronary Care Unit. A broad range of non-invasive diagnostic testing is available for outpatients and inpatients.

Outpatient clinics are delivered at Dunedin, Dunstan and Southland hospitals.

What is Cardiology?

Cardiology is the specialty within medicine that looks at the heart and blood vessels. Your heart consists of four chambers, which are responsible for pumping blood to your lungs and then the rest of your body. The study of the heart includes the heart muscle (the myocardium), the valves within the heart between the chambers, the blood vessels that supply blood (and hence oxygen and nutrients) to the heart muscle, and the electrical system of the heart which is what controls the heart rate.

SDHB Cardiology Team

Cardiac Physiologists:

Emma Guglietta Cardiac Physiologist - Device Management, Dunedin
Vikki Milmine Cardiac Physiologist - Device Management, Dunedin
Maree McCormick Cardiac Physiologist - Device Management, Dunedin
Jess Hannah-Brennan Cardiac Physiologist, Dunedin
Heidi Choi Cardiac Physiologist, Dunedin
Karolina Dvorackova Trainee Cardiac Physiologist, Dunedin
Chris Collins Trainee Cardiac Physiologist, Dunedin

Cardiac Sonographers:

James Cadogan Cardiac Sonographer, Dunedin
Rachel Reddy Cardiac Sonographer, Dunedin
Fiona Roberts Cardiac Sonographer, Dunedin
Kim Glossop Cardiac Sonographer, Dunedin
Kate Wellington Cardiac Sonographer, Dunedin

ECG Technicians:

Sue Irvine Cardiac Physiology Technician, Dunedin
Avis Williamson Cardiac Physiology Technician, Dunedin

Cardiac Investigation Nurses (Cath Lab)

Clinical Nurse Specialist (Heart Failure)

Cardiology Admin

Cardiac Research

Consultants

Note: Please note below that some people are not available at all locations.

Dr Sean Coffey

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Dr John Edmond

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Dr Belinda Green

Cardiologist - Clinical Director

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Dr Sudish Lal

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Dr Anouska Moynagh

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Dr James Pemberton

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Associate Professor Gerard Wilkins

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Dunstan Hospital, Clyde
Dr Benjamin Wilkins

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill
Professor Michael Williams

Cardiologist

Available at Dunedin Hospital, Southland Hospital, Invercargill

Referral Expectations

Your GP will refer you to one of our clinics if they are concerned about your heart and want a specialist opinion. The referral is prioritised depending on urgency with waiting times of 2 weeks to 6 months.

You may be sent a questionnaire prior to your clinic visit to assist us with making a diagnosis and determining if any tests need to be done prior to you seeing a specialist.

Procedures / Treatments

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An ECG is a recording of your heart's electrical activity.… More
Exercise ECG

An ECG done when you are resting may be normal even when you have cardiovascular disease. During an exercise ECG the heart is made to work harder so that if there is any narrowing of the blood vessels resulting in poor blood supply it is more likely to be picked… More
Blood Tests

You are likely to have blood tests done before coming to clinic to check your cholesterol level and looking for evidence of diabetes. These blood tests are done "fasting" which means you have the blood taken in the morning on an empty stomach before breakfast.… More
Echocardiogram

Echocardiography is also referred to as cardiac ultrasound. This test is performed by a specially trained cardiac physiologist.… More
Coronary Angiogram

This test is performed by a cardiologist in a sterile operating theatre environment. … More
Cardiovascular Disease

This refers to narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.… More
Heart Failure

Heart failure refers to the heart failing to pump efficiently. There are many diseases that cause this including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, viral infections, alcohol, and diseases affecting the valves of the heart. When the heart is inefficient a number of symptoms occur depending on the cause and severity… More
Cardiac Arrhythmias

Your heart rate is controlled by a complex electrical system within the heart muscle which drives it to go faster when you exert yourself and slower when you rest. A number of conditions can affect the heart rate or rhythm. Heart rate simply refers to how fast your heart is… More
Valve Disease

Your heart consists of 4 chambers that receive and send blood to the lungs and body. … More