Why Us

Hamilton House has a team of highly qualified, experienced and caring nurses who assist Dr Richard Hamilton in surgery and expertly care for all our patients needs, during and after their procedure at Hamilton House Day Surgery. Our caring staff will be there for you throughout your entire journey with us.

• Helen Pettigrew RN, Chief Nurse
• Garland Ross RN, Theatre Nurse
• Lavinia Crowe RN, Theatre Nurse
• Anne Buckley EN, Recovery Nurse
• Kathy Kerrisk RN, Theatre and Recovery Nurse
• Philippa Lundy EN, Recovery Nurse

In accordance with the high standards of care offered by Dr. Richard Hamilton and his team, only doctors specialising in anaesthesia are used at our Hamilton House Day Surgery Clinic.

Hamilton House Day Surgery has arrangements with anaesthetists from Adelaide Anaesthetic Services and Pulse Anaesthetics to provide anaesthetic services.

As well as our modern electronic equipment, 3D technologies and facilities at Hamilton House Day Surgery in Adelaide, Dr. Richard Hamilton uses Stille instruments to perform his plastic surgery procedures in Adelaide.

Handcrafted in Sweden using the highest possible grade stainless steel, Stille surgical instruments are acknowledged for their unique balance and durability, giving surgeons the most precise instruments possible to perform surgery. Dr Hamilton personally selects his instruments from the Stille factory in Sweden to ensure safer and more efficient plastic surgery for his patients.

Handcrafted in Sweden using only the very highest possible grade stainless steel, Stille surgical instruments are regarded as the world best and are famed for their unique balance and durability, giving surgeons the most precise instrument possible to enhance surgical perfection. Dr. Hamilton personally selects his instruments from the Stille factory in Sweden, in the knowledge that nothing but the very finest tools are good enough for his patients to ensure safer and more efficient plastic surgery.

You can judge a plastic surgeon by the instruments he or she uses, and for Dr Richard Hamilton only the best will do.

Infection Prevention and Control

Hamilton House has a comprehensive infection prevention and control program in place. Our facility and staff are regularly audited for compliance with the National Infection Prevention and Control Guidelines, the Australian Standards for Disinfection and Sterilisation (AS4187 & Acorn), and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (NSQHS). Our infection rate for the period Jan-Dec 2022 was 0.05%.

Hand Hygiene Australia program

Hamilton House is committed to the Hand Hygiene Australia program and conducts continuous audits to ensure staff compliance.

Medical Advisory Committee

Hamilton House has a formal Medical Advisory Committee, MAC, with wide clinical representation, including a plastic surgeon, a specialist anaesthetist, a pathologist and an infection control physician. The committee has the ability to co-op other specialist members and even consumers as required. The Medical Advisory Committee oversees clinical compliance and guides Hamilton House in its standards of excellence.

Clinical Indicators

Clinical Indicators are measures of elements of clinical care, which when assessed over time, may provide a method of assessing the quality and safety of care. Hamilton House collects a number of clinical indicators that are regularly benchmarked with Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS), and with an Independent Day Surgery Benchmark Group interstate, comprising of like Day Surgery facilities.

The results for January to June 2015 include:

• Failure to arrive 25%
• Unplanned overnight admission 13%
• Unplanned delay in discharge 0%
• Medication error / Adverse drug reaction 0%
• Unplanned return to operating theatre 0%
• Hospital acquired infection 0%
• Patient falls 0%

Hamilton House consistently scores at top or near top when benchmarked against other facilities.

Pre Op and Discharge Information

Hamilton House Day Surgery provides comprehensive written and oral information, both before and after surgery, to assist patients and their careers to be fully informed, well prepared and in control of their planning routine for discharge and follow up.

Patient feedback

All patients are given the opportunity to provide feedback, formally and informally. This feedback is treated with confidentiality and may be provided anonymously. Your opinion is important to us so when you receive a survey questionnaire, and we encourage you to complete it. There have been a number of positive changes to patient information sheets and the practices at Hamilton House Day Surgery as a result of patient feedback over the years. All feedback is de-identified and tabled at our monthly Quality Activities Committee, meetings as well as our Medical Advisory Committee.

In 2022 the following results were recorded from formal surveys conducted:

• Patient Satisfaction Survey 98%
• Carer Satisfaction Survey 100%
• Anaesthetic Satisfaction Survey 98%

How can you help us manage Safety and Quality?

We value feedback from our patients and their carers and find it very helpful to constantly strive to achieve clinical excellence. Please feel free to let one of the staff know if you would like to assist with reviewing any of our Safety and Quality initiatives.

Would you like further information?

The nursing team will be very happy to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with our Safety and Quality standards and procedures. Our staff can be contacted by phone on 08 8272 6666 or by email admin@hamiltonhouse.com.au

Reconstructive Surgery (Skin Cancer, Hand Surgery, Injuries)

Where patients have private hospital cover* and where there is a Medicare item number for the procedure, Hamilton House Day Surgery will bill the fund directly for the Theatre and Facility fees.

There may be a Known Gap fee to pay for the surgery. This is normally around $200.00-$400.00.

For patients having an excess or exclusion on their policy, gaps are payable on the day of admission. Whilst we encourage patients to contact their insurer/health fund if they are in doubt about the details of their policy, Hamilton House Staff will assist by doing an online check via your health fund. Uninsured patients are asked to pay the Day Surgery Fees on admission.

*Please note cover does not assist with Hospital and Day Surgery costs.

Hospital Insurance

Hamilton House has ongoing contracts with all the major Health Funds (BUPA, Medibank Private, Health Partners, HCF, Teachers Health, Police Health, Defence Health, including Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) which will cover members according to the level of their policies for their day surgery costs. Patients with top cover are normally fully covered as are DVA Gold Card holders.

Cosmetic Surgical Procedures

Where there is no Medicare item number as for a cosmetic or aesthetic procedure, the Day Surgery Fee, the surgeon fee and the anaesthetic fees are paid some days prior to admission. GST may apply for cosmetic surgery.

Since July 2023, new regulations stipulate that patients seeking cosmetic surgery are required to consult their GP for a referral addressed to Dr Hamilton before the 1^st appointment.