As a Specialist Physician, Dr Kennedy sees patients with a range of cardiology, respiratory/chest, upper GI (including non-viral liver), neurology, endocrinology, haematology, nephrology and rheumatology conditions. He has a broad range of interests including chest pain, ischaemic and valvular heart disease, cardiac rhythm disturbances, syncope, difficult hypertension, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, pericarditis, dyslipidaemia, gastro-oesophageal reflux, peptic ulcer, coeliac and liver disease. He is experienced in the management of chest diseases including asthma, cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, COPD, emphysema, respiratory failure, lung cancer, pleural disease, non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease, sarcoidosis, asbestos-related pleural disease, asbestosis, interstitial lung disease, Aspergillus lung disease, DVT, pulmonary embolism and disordered breathing/hyperventilation. He also cares for patients with cerebrovascular disease, headache, thyroid and non-viral liver disease (fatty liver, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis NASH, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis etc), cirrhosis, haemochromatosis, polymyalgia rheumatica, giant cell arteritis, gout, inflammatory arthritis, fibromyalgia, haematological conditions, osteoporosis and fatigue.
Southern Cross Affiliated Provider for Cardiology
Southern Cross Affiliated Provider for Internal Medicine
Southern Cross Affiliated Provider for Gastroscopy
Southern Cross Affiliated Provider for Lung Function
Our team prides itself on a patient-focused, evidence-based approach to care.
We offer a broad range of procedures through the practice:
- ECG
- Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT) or Exercise Test/Exercise ECG
- Echocardiography (TTE or Echo), Bubble Study
- Exercise Stress Echocardiography (ESE)
- Coronary Artery Calcium Score
- Holter and Event Monitor
- 24-hr Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor (ABPM)
- Elective Synchronised Electrical Cardioversion
- Gastroscopy
- Liver Biopsy
- Spirometry including pre and post-bronchodilator
- Full Lung Function Testing, including Plethysmography, DLCO, Resting Minute Ventilation and FeNO
- Pleural Procedures
Dr Kennedy has been a Northland DHB Specialist General Physician since 1991, and has worked in private practice as a Specialist in Internal Medicine since 1996. He is New Zealand trained, and qualified as MBChB (Otago) in 1981, and attained the FRACP in 1987. He is affiliated with the Ascot Cardiology Group and is also a consultant in the General Medicine, Respiratory and Liver Services at Northland District Health Board. He has been involved in the care of patients in the Wards, Coronary Care and Intensive Care Units at Whangārei Hospital and at Northland's Private Kensington Hospital. He undertakes Public Hospital Clinics, seeing patients with General Medical, Respiratory, Cardiac, Hepatic and Upper Gastrointestinal disease.
Dr Kennedy offers the broadest range of investigative procedures of any of the Physicians in Northland.
Dr Kennedy works closely with a small, highly experienced team; Clinic Nurse Gemma at the Private Rooms, Nurses with Cardiology expertise with Exercise Testing, Michael an experienced Cardiac Sonographer and a Clinical Respiratory Physiologist.
What is a Specialist Physician or Internal Medicine Specialist?
A Consultant General Physician is a highly trained specialist who provides a range of non-surgical healthcare to adult patients. He cares for difficult, serious or unusual medical problems, when the diagnosis may be difficult. The General Physician's broad training provides expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of problems affecting different body systems, and in a variety of medical procedures essential for the diagnosis and management of severe and complex illness. Much of a General Physician’s work takes place with outpatients in clinics and with hospitalised patients, both private and public. A General Physician is frequently asked to review patients before surgery. He advises a Surgeon of a patient's risk status, and can recommend appropriate management to minimise the risk of any operation. The Physician can also assist with the management of on-going medical problems or complications following surgery. A General Physician sees patients who have been referred to him by other doctors, either the patient's General Practitioner or another Medical or Surgical Specialist.
