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This page was last updated at 12:41PM on March 25, 2013

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Private Service

Dr Heather Gardner - Specialist General Physician

Hours

I consult at Medplus on Monday afternoons, but please contact reception at Medplus during business hours Monday to Friday to arrange the appointment.

Description

Dr Heather Gardner is currently the clinical leader for General Medicine and a Consultant General Physician at Waitakere Hospital in West Auckland. She graduated from the Auckland School of Medicine in 1993 and attained her FRACP in 2005. She worked at Auckland Hospital from 2005 – 2007 as a specialist physician and senior lecturer in medicine before taking up her present position at Waitemata District Health Board.
 
She is involved in the mentoring and training of medical students, junior doctors and overseas trained doctors.
 
Dr Gardner has participated in several clinical research projects in the fields of diabetes and the genetics of lung cancer and emphysema.
 
Dr Gardner has considerable experience in the management of a number of chronic diseases, many aspects of older persons’ health, common rheumatological conditions and risk factor modification for heart disease and stroke disease.
 

What is General Medicine?

General medicine is the branch of medicine dealing with diseases affecting the internal organs of the body in adults.  A specialist general physician has broad training in a number of disciplines and can therefore provide expert diagnosis and non-surgical treatment for a wide range of medical problems, especially more complex cases involving more than one body system or where the exact cause of symptoms is not clear.

Referral Expectations

Your GP will refer you if they feel you need a specialist opinion regarding your medical condition.  A full history of your current symptoms and past history will be taken and you will be examined.  Your diagnosis and recommendations for any further investigations and treatment will be discussed with you and a letter sent to your GP with a copy to yourself if you wish. 

It would be helpful if you could bring:

  1. Any old notes, letters or reports from your doctor or hospital
  2. X-rays, CT scans
  3. All medications you are currently taking including herbal/natural remedies
  4. If English is not your first language please bring someone who can speak for you.

Common Conditions / Procedures / Treatments

  • Chest Pain

    A significant proportion of chest pain is described as being “atypical” i.e.… More

  • Shortness of Breath

    Shortness of breath can arise from a number of conditions affecting the lungs,  the heart or both.  Occasionally the cause can be due to anxiety, dysfunctional breathing or anaemia.  A careful history and examination are required to define the cause. More

  • Syncope and “Funny Turns”

    Collapse can occur with or without loss of consciousness.  Commonly,  collapse is due to low blood pressure reducing blood supply to the brain which in turn can be caused by over-medication, dehydration and heart rhythm problems.  More serious causes are transient ischaemic attacks (“mini strokes”) and seizures. More

  • Headache

    In the majority of cases headache is not caused by structural damage to the brain, and only a small number are due to tumours or other growths in the brain.  Migraine headache is a common type of headache that tends to run in families and is characterised by throbbing pain… More

  • Fibromyalgia / Unexplained Aches and Pains

    Symptoms include generalised aches and pains without joint inflammation, fatigue, morning stiffness and the presence of painful trigger points at specific parts of the body.  Insomnia or disrupted sleep pattern, headache and irritable bowel or bladder can also be features of fibromyalgia.  Sufferers are more likely to be women.  Fibromyalgia… More

  • Hypertension

    Blood pressure increases with age.  Most people respond to treatment with one or two agents but some develop refractory high blood pressure which requires more aggressive management.  Uncontrolled hypertension damages blood vessels, resulting in hardening of the arteries giving rise to heart disease, atrial fibrillation, kidney failure and stroke. More

  • Diagnostic Dilemmas

    Sometimes patients have a number of symptoms which occur together such as weight loss, fatigue, palpitations and sweating.  General physicians specialise in trying to find a unifying diagnosis to explain these symptoms. More

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG)

    This is a tracing of the electrical activity of the heart.  This can give information regarding the heart rate, heart rhythm and whether you have had previous damage to the heart. More

  • Chest X-ray

    This simple test allows your doctor to visualise the heart and lungs.  It can be part of the initial assessment of chest pain, heart rhythm disturbance and shortness of breath.  If you are pregnant you should let your doctor know before an X-ray is performed. More

  • Spirometry

    This is a simple “blowing” test which measures the volume of the lungs and the rate at which your lungs can fill and empty.… More

  • Holter Monitor

    A Holter monitor records the heartbeat continuously for 24 hours and is useful in the evaluation of palpitations, dizziness or collapse.  The patient keeps a diary of symptoms which can be then be compared to the heart tracing. More

Charges

Initial consultation $330.00 (GST incl.)

Follow-up consultation $150.00 (GST incl.)

Consultants

Dr Heather Gardner
Respiratory Physician

Public Transport

www.maxx.co.nz

Parking

Free off-street patient parking is provided to the rear and side of the Medplus clinic.

Location Information

Contact Details

Phone (09) 489 2011
Fax (09) 282 4921
Email topdocnz@gmail.com

Street Address

Medplus
327 Lake Road
Hauraki
Auckland

Map & more information

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