General Surgery | Lakes

Taupō Hospital

Contact Details

Phone (07) 376 1000
Fax (07) 376 1003

Street Address

Taupō Hospital
38 Kotare Street
Taupō

Postal Address

Taupō Hospital
PO Box 841
Taupō 3351

Description

Lakes provides acute and elective surgical services at Rotorua and Taupō hospital sites. 

Acute services are provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and range from minor injuries/illness to major trauma. Elective services are provided five days per week and incorporate patient care in inpatient, day patient, and outpatient environments.

Day Stay Unit

Day Stay Unit is our point of entry for elective surgical patients.  The unit has 10 beds and 10 La-Z-Boy chairs and is currently open from 7.00am - 5.30pm.  As patients arrive they are assessed and prepared for their surgery.

Surgical Unit

The Surgical Unit cares for acute and elective surgical patients requiring general surgery procedures/care as well as acute urology, gynaecology, ophthalmology and ENT patients who may require at least one overnight stay.

Most patients in the Unit undergo surgery, but some are managed conservatively.  There are 25 beds in the Surgical Unit.  

Where to find us: see the Rotorua Hospital map here.

The General Surgery team are based at Rotorua Hospital but provide visiting services to Taupō Hospital.

What is General Surgery?

The role of the General Surgical Department varies from hospital to hospital, but in broad terms general surgery can be said to deal with a wide range of conditions within the abdomen, breast, neck, skin and, in many hospitals, vascular (blood vessel) system.

While the name would suggest that the focus of general surgery is to perform operations, often this is not the case. Many patients are referred to surgeons with conditions that do not need surgical procedures, but merely require counselling or medical treatment.

What is Vascular Surgery?

Vascular surgery is the branch of surgery that involves the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the vessels that carry blood away from (arteries) and back to (veins) your heart.

Vascular disorders include blockages and narrowings of the vessels, abnormal swellings of the vessels (aneurysm) or vessel malfunctions. The disease processes involved in vascular disorders often involve other body systems and your treatment may therefore require the combined efforts of other medical specialists such as radiologists and general physicians.

Referral Expectations

When you come to your appointment, your surgeon will ask questions about your illness and examine you to try to determine or confirm the diagnosis. This process may also require a number of tests (e.g. blood tests, x-rays, scans etc). Sometimes this can all be done during one visit, but for some conditions this will take several follow-up appointments. Occasionally some tests are arranged even before your appointment to try to speed up the process.

Once a diagnosis has been made, your surgeon will discuss treatment with you. In some instances this will mean surgery, while other cases can be managed with medication and advice. If surgery is advised, the steps involved in the surgical process and the likely outcome are usually discussed with you at this time.

Fees and Charges Description

New Zealand citizens or those who have obtained permanent residence are entitled to publicly funded health care.

Non-residents may be required to pay for their health care.

Click here to read more about eligibility for funded care at Te Whatu Ora Lakes 

Procedures / Treatments

Skin disorders managed by General Surgery
Endocrine disorders
Breast disorders
Gastrointestinal disorders
Salivary gland disorders
Gall stones | Cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal)
Hernias | Hernia repair
Vascular disorders
Aortic aneurysm
Carotid artery disease
Peripheral artery disease
Varicose veins | vein treatment
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
Ulcers
Gastroscopy
Colonoscopy

Pharmacy

Click here to find your nearest community pharmacy.

Other

Click on the location links for more information on your trip to Rotorua Hospital or Taupō Hospital, including:


https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/public/general-surgery/general-surgery-lakes/