Dr Sarkis is committed to providing his patients with the highest level of care and consults every Tuesdays and every second Thursday in clinic A, Level 2 at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse. He also consults once a month on a Thursday at RNSH.

Both your health and time are important to us and so please ensure you bring the following with you on the day of your consultation:

• Referral from your GP – this allows you receive a medicare rebate for the consultation
• Medicare card
• Health insurance details
• List of all your current medications including supplements
• Results of any blood tests including thyroid function tests
• Imaging studies – ensure you also know the name of the provider where you had your Ultrasound/CT scans/MRI/PET scan completed so Dr. Sarkis can access them on the day
• List of questions you would like to have answered at your consultation
• Please let Dr. Sarkis’ reception know in advance if you require an interpreter and this will be arranged
• See below required results for specific conditions

Head and neck cancer: 

• Biopsy results – please ensure they have been emailed to drsarkisreception@lh.org.au prior your appointment
• CT head and neck scan results
• MRI results
• PET imaging results
• Any other blood tests or imaging you had performed relating to your condition

Thyroid conditions

• Most recent thyroid function tests (usually already organised by your GP or endocrinologist)
• Thyroid ultrasound results (or know which provider they were completed at so Dr. Sarkis can access the results
• Biopsy results – if they have been already completed otherwise Dr. Sarkis will arrange them at one his recommended providers

Parathyroid conditions:

• Parathyroid hormone and corrected calcium blood results
• Vitamin D levels if completed
• Any urine test completed
• Ultrasound and Sestamibi results
• CT scan imaging result (4DCT if completed)

What to expect at your consultation:

Dr Sarkis will have already read your referral and reviewed your imaging studies prior to your appointment. On the day of the appointment, please arrive 15 minutes early to complete the patient information sheet prior your surgery. Given a new diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming, it also suggested you bring a family member or support partner the consultation to assist in any questions you may also have.

During your consultation he will clinically examine you, which often also involves passing a small narrow high definition camera called a nasoendoscope through the nose to examine the back of your nose, throat and vocal cords. This procedure and any other biopsies he performs on the day of consultation will be bulk billed.

Depending on your condition, he may then arrange for you to have further investigations or book you for surgery. Please check with our friendly reception team and they will also assist you in organising further scans.

At the end of the consultation, Dr. Sarkis will provide you with information booklets provided by either the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons or Head and Neck Cancer Australia relating to your condition. Please read them carefully and you will also be provided with an email address to direct any further questions you have after your consultation, which Dr. Sarkis will endeavour to answer as soon as possible.

Fees and Medicare rebate:

There is a consultation fee which our reception staff can inform you of prior to you appointment. Health insurance companies do not cover any consultation fees however Medicare provides a rebate of circa $84 for initial consults and circa $40 for subsequent visits. To ensure you are eligible for a rebate, please make sure you have a GP referral prior to your appointment addressed to Dr. Sarkis.

Private and Public patients:

Dr. Sarkis has public appointments at both RPA hospital and Royal North Shore hospital therefore treats public patients at all three centres. His private patients who require a procedure will generally be performed at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.