Forms
Referral form
A one-page referral with the fields the rooms need. Attach to HealthLink or fax, or use the online form.
For referring doctors
Referrer resources.
Forms, preparation sheets, fees and a cited quick reference for GPs and specialists referring for cardiology assessment or investigation.
For your patient
New patient registration
Hand this to the patient with the referral, or point them to the online version. It saves time at the first visit.
For your patient
Preparation sheets
What each investigation involves and how to prepare — one printable page per test, in the same words as the website.
Channels
Secure messaging and contact
- HealthLink
- hayescar
- Fax
- 02 6162 2742
- Phone
- 02 6162 2741
- admin@heartofcanberra.com.au
- Rooms
- Suite 8, 12 Napier Close, Deakin ACT 2600
Investigations
What is performed where
- General cardiologyPerformed in the rooms
- EchocardiographyPerformed in the rooms
- Chest pain and coronary assessmentPerformed in the rooms — assessment, stress echo and stress ECG; invasive angiography referred to hospital
- Cardiac CT angiographyReferred to another specialist or centre — performed at partner radiology practices
- Cardiac MRIReferred to another specialist or centre — performed at partner radiology practices
- Rhythm assessmentPerformed in the rooms
- Heart failure and pulmonary hypertensionPerformed in the rooms
Urgent
Not for outpatient referral
Suspected acute coronary syndrome, haemodynamic instability, or syncope with red-flag features should go to the emergency department. For an expedited outpatient review, phone the rooms and mark the referral urgent.
Clinical quick reference
Which investigation answers which question.
By presentation, drawn from current Australian guidance and cited below each entry. It is orientation for referrers, not a substitute for clinical judgement, and it does not replace the referral conversation.
Sources checked 2 September 2026. Each entry links to the patient-facing pathway page.
Stable chest pain
Patient page: I get chest pain or tightness
New chest pain of possible cardiac origin, or a worsening pattern in known coronary disease, warrants expedited review. Chronic uninvestigated pain without concerning features is routine.
First line
- Resting 12-lead ECG. If an acute coronary syndrome is possible, this is an emergency, not a referral.
- Estimate the likelihood of coronary disease from age, sex, symptom character and risk factors.
- Bloods: FBC, ELFTs, fasting lipids; HbA1c if diabetic.
Investigations
- Cardiac CT angiography (requested via the practice) to rule out obstructive disease at low-to-moderate likelihood.
- Stress echocardiography when likelihood is higher, or symptoms need correlating with ischaemia.
- Exercise stress test where imaging is unsuitable; lower diagnostic yield than imaging.
- Echocardiography when the history, examination or ECG suggests structural heart disease.
- Invasive angiography, PCI, FFR and IVUS are not offered here — refer to an interventional service directly.
Please include
- Symptom description, pattern, triggers and functional impact.
- Current and any prior ECG tracings.
- Cardiovascular risk score, smoking history, family history of premature coronary disease or sudden death.
- Prior stress test, imaging or angiography reports.
- Medications, including non-prescription medicines and supplements.
Emergency, not clinic
- Severe or ongoing pain, or ischaemic pain lasting ten minutes or more.
- New pain at rest or with minimal activity.
- Pain with syncope, severe dyspnoea, systolic BP under 90, heart rate over 120 or respiratory rate over 30.
- ST elevation or depression, new left bundle branch block, or complete heart block.
- Suspected aortic dissection or pulmonary embolism.
Sources: Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Angina / myocardial ischaemia / chest pain · Victorian Department of Health 2025, Statewide referral criteria — Chest pain · European Society of Cardiology 2024, 2024 ESC Guidelines for the management of chronic coronary syndromes (ACC key points) · NHFA / CSANZ 2025, Australian clinical guideline for diagnosing and managing acute coronary syndromes 2025 (overview)
Palpitations
Patient page: My heart races, thumps or skips
Expedited review for palpitations with other cardiac symptoms, an abnormal resting ECG, known structural heart disease, or a family history of sudden cardiac death. Otherwise routine.
First line
- 12-lead ECG, ideally captured during symptoms.
- ELFTs and TSH. Ask about caffeine, alcohol, stimulants and recreational drugs.
- Opportunistic atrial fibrillation screening from age 65 (NHFA/CSANZ).
Investigations
- 24-hour to 3-day Holter monitoring when symptoms occur most days.
- Heart Bug four-week event monitor for infrequent episodes.
- Echocardiography for any new atrial fibrillation, an abnormal ECG, or suspected structural disease.
- Exercise stress test when palpitations are brought on by exertion.
Please include
- Duration, frequency and pattern of episodes, and their effect on work or daily life.
- Every available ECG, especially any recorded during an episode.
- Known cardiac disease and family history of sudden cardiac death.
- ELFTs and TSH; magnesium if available.
- Prior Holter, echocardiogram or stress test reports.
Emergency, not clinic
- Palpitations with syncope, pre-syncope, chest pain or breathlessness.
- Haemodynamic disturbance, or a persisting tachyarrhythmia on the ECG.
- Pre-excited QRS (delta wave) with syncope.
- Neurological deficit suggesting TIA or stroke.
Sources: Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Palpitations · Victorian Department of Health 2025, Statewide referral criteria — Palpitations · NHFA / CSANZ 2018, Australian clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation 2018 (MJA summary) · Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Atrial fibrillation / flutter
Breathlessness and suspected heart failure
Patient page: I am more short of breath than I used to be
Newly diagnosed heart failure with worsening symptoms, or established heart failure showing decompensation, needs expedited review. Suspected ventricular dysfunction with minimal symptoms is routine.
First line
- 12-lead ECG and chest X-ray.
- BNP or NT-proBNP when the diagnosis is uncertain (NHFA/CSANZ, strong recommendation).
- FBC, ELFTs, TSH, fasting lipids; HbA1c if diabetic; iron studies if available.
Investigations
- Echocardiography for all suspected or newly diagnosed heart failure: structure, function, ejection fraction, valves.
- Cardiac MRI (requested via the practice) when the cause of ventricular dysfunction needs characterising.
- Stress echocardiography when exertional breathlessness may be ischaemic.
- Holter monitoring when palpitations or an arrhythmia accompany the breathlessness.
Please include
- Symptom course, NYHA class and any recent weight change.
- Blood pressure, weight, height and BMI.
- ECG tracings from the last 12 months and any echocardiogram report.
- Medicines tried, for how long, and with what effect.
- Bloods as above; sleep study report if sleep apnoea is suspected.
Emergency, not clinic
- Acute pulmonary oedema, oxygen saturation under 94%, or haemodynamic instability.
- Ongoing chest pain, syncope or pre-syncope.
- Myocardial infarction within the last two weeks, or suspected myocarditis.
- New heart failure not responding to initial and escalated diuretic therapy.
- New heart failure in pregnancy or the postpartum period.
Sources: NHFA / CSANZ 2018, Australian clinical guidelines for the management of heart failure 2018 (MJA summary) · Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Heart failure · Victorian Department of Health 2025, Statewide referral criteria — Heart failure
A newly heard murmur
Severe stenosis or regurgitation on echo, any lesion with ventricular dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension, or a murmur with heart failure symptoms: expedited. Moderate lesions with normal function, and asymptomatic uninvestigated murmurs: routine.
First line
- Resting ECG for rhythm and left ventricular hypertrophy.
- Ask specifically about exertional breathlessness, angina and syncope; record functional class.
- Chest X-ray if heart failure is possible; FBC, ELFTs, TSH, fasting lipids.
Investigations
- Echocardiography is the first investigation for any murmur not previously assessed: lesion, severity, ventricular function, pulmonary pressures.
- Surveillance echocardiography at intervals set by the lesion and its severity.
- Supervised exercise stress test in asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis to confirm the absence of symptoms.
- Cardiac MRI (requested via the practice) when echo windows are poor or ventricular volumes matter.
Please include
- Symptoms and NYHA class; when the murmur was first heard.
- History of rheumatic fever, endocarditis or previous valve surgery.
- ECG and any echocardiogram or chest X-ray report.
- Family history of cardiac disease or sudden cardiac death.
- Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Māori or Pacific Islander status (rheumatic heart disease risk).
Emergency, not clinic
- Murmur with haemodynamic instability, syncope or chest pain.
- Persistent or progressive breathlessness (NYHA III–IV).
- Fever or constitutional symptoms suggesting endocarditis or acute rheumatic fever.
- Neurological deficit suggesting embolic stroke or TIA.
Sources: Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Murmur · RACGP / AJGP, Rahman & Rowe 2024, Aortic stenosis: update in monitoring and management (AJGP 53(7))
An abnormal or incidental ECG
Patient page: I was told my ECG was abnormal
New symptomatic atrial fibrillation or flutter, an abnormal resting ECG with symptoms, or a new ECG change in known structural disease: expedited. Asymptomatic, stable findings: routine.
First line
- Repeat the ECG and compare with any previous tracing; many findings are long-standing.
- Ask about palpitations, syncope, chest pain and breathlessness.
- ELFTs, TSH and FBC; magnesium if available.
Investigations
- Echocardiography for atrial fibrillation, left ventricular hypertrophy, bundle branch block, Q waves or other signs of structural disease.
- Holter or Heart Bug monitoring for ectopy, pauses, bradycardia or a suspected paroxysmal arrhythmia.
- Exercise stress test for exertional symptoms, or ST–T changes that need functional correlation.
- Pacemaker check for a patient with a device and a rhythm concern.
Please include
- The ECG itself and every prior tracing for comparison.
- Symptoms, or their absence, and functional impact.
- Known cardiac disease, and medicines that affect conduction or the QT interval.
- Family history of sudden cardiac death or inherited heart disease.
- ELFTs and TSH; echocardiogram report if one exists.
Emergency, not clinic
- ST elevation or depression with chest pain, new left bundle branch block, or complete heart block.
- Second- or third-degree heart block, or a pre-excited QRS with syncope.
- Persisting tachyarrhythmia, or bradycardia under 50 with hypotension or syncope.
- Atrial fibrillation with chest pain, breathlessness, syncope or a neurological deficit.
Sources: Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Atrial fibrillation / flutter · Queensland Health 2025, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Palpitations · Victorian Department of Health 2025, Statewide referral criteria — Syncope or pre-syncope · NHFA / CSANZ 2018, Australian clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation 2018 (MJA summary)
A family history of heart disease
Patient page: Heart disease runs in my family
Relatives of a person with an inheritable cardiac condition, or suspected genetic heart disease, warrant review within about three months for screening and counselling. Asymptomatic risk assessment is routine. Suspected familial hypercholesterolaemia should also be referred to, or discussed with, a lipid specialist.
First line
- Take a three-generation family history: ages, events, sudden deaths under 50, cardiomyopathy, aortic disease.
- Fasting lipids. Suspect familial hypercholesterolaemia when LDL-C exceeds 5.0 mmol/L or premature coronary disease runs in the family.
- Absolute cardiovascular risk assessment, and a resting ECG.
Investigations
- Echocardiography for first-degree relatives of someone with cardiomyopathy or unexplained sudden death; Holter if an arrhythmia syndrome is suspected.
- Coronary artery calcium scoring (requested via the practice) for asymptomatic adults at moderate risk, or low risk with a premature family history, where the result would change management.
- Cardiac MRI (requested via the practice) when echocardiography is equivocal for cardiomyopathy.
- Cardiac CT angiography only when symptoms are present; calcium scoring answers the asymptomatic question.
Please include
- Pedigree: which relatives, what condition, age at diagnosis or death, autopsy or genetic results if known.
- Lipid profile, absolute risk score, blood pressure and smoking status.
- Resting ECG; echocardiogram if one has been performed.
- The patient's own symptoms, if any.
Emergency, not clinic
- Exertional syncope or chest pain in someone with a family history of sudden cardiac death: same-day assessment.
- Symptoms of an acute coronary syndrome, whatever the family history.
Sources: Watts et al., Australian FH guidance 2021, Integrated guidance for enhancing the care of familial hypercholesterolaemia in Australia (synopsis) · National Heart Foundation of Australia 2021, Position statement on coronary artery calcium scoring for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Australia (MJA 2021) · Queensland Health 2023, Clinical Prioritisation Criteria — Genetic heart disease
Fees
Fees and MBS items for referrers.
No bulk billing at present. Pensioners receive a discounted fee. Patients need a valid referral for a Medicare rebate to apply.
| Service | MBS item | Fee | Pensioner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial consultation | 110 | $465 | $450 |
| Review consultation | 116 | $350 | $330 |
| Pacemaker check and review | — | $350 | $330 |
| ECG | 11714 | $30 | $30 |
| Holter monitor (24 hour) | 11716 | $250 | $230 |
| Holter monitor (2 day) | — | $320 | $300 |
| Holter monitor (3 day) | — | $350 | $330 |
| 24-hour blood pressure monitor | 11607 | $150 | $130 |
| Echocardiogram | 55126 | $495 | $480 |
| Stress echocardiogram | 55141 | $695 | $680 |
| Exercise stress test | 11729 | $400 | $400 |
| Heart Bug (four-week monitor) | — | $250 | — |
Cardiac CT and MRI are performed at a radiology practice and billed by them. Where no pensioner fee is shown, the rooms will advise.