Austin Hospital Emergency Room

PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Heidelberg Railway station is across the road from the hospital. Manned, with Toilets. Parking onsite in the multilevel carpark with entry from Studley street is convenient, but EXPENSIVE! Street parking in the area is restricted to mostly 2 hours at $3.50 per hour, and heavily patrolled. If you can park up to 1/2 to 3/4km away, parking is free, but mostly still restricted. The area is very hilly and quite steep.Modified Review: 29/11/2021. Unfortunately I've had to pay yet another visit to the Austin Emergency Department. This time on a weekday night, due to a gardening accident. Kudos again to all staff I had contact with. From security outside directing me to the new COVID check-in section outside, Triage Nurses, the several Doctors and Nurses who saw me in the treatment area, Orderlies, X-ray department etc. Everyone was unfailingly friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.I was surprised at how busy Emergency was, with a long queue right out the doorway. It took nearly 2 hours to reach the Triage Nurses after which everything went quite quickly.After Triage I was called into the treatment area in only 5 minutes or so. The care and treatment I received from especially my Doctor was exceptional. She explained what they were going to do without rushing. She consulted with other Doctors about how best to remove the massive splinter jammed under my fingernail and was very careful, methodical, and tried as much as possible to avoid causing further trauma or pain whilst treating my injury. Great sense of humour as well, in a very uncomfortable and painful situation (for me!).I only have praise for how efficient and caring the whole Emergency Department works.The only thing that I think could be improved would be a Supermarket style number queueing system and an explanation outside the doorway, or a greeter/person who can explain to new arrivals how the queuing works.Modified Review: I've had several visits now to the Austin. Twice to Emergency and once for Cardiology appointments. Emergency was very busy each time I was there, but staff were amazing. Caring and thoughtful and explaining each time something was being done. Can't thank them enough for there caring assistance. Cardiology was the same. Appointments I had didn't leave me waiting long at all and all facilities I saw were clean and modern. Toilets which I hear many complain about were always spotless. All staff, Triage nurses, doctors, orderlies and various technicians were all thoroughly professional, caring and polite!Original Review:First visit to Austin as a patient and not a visitor. Arrived by Ambulance and was told there would be a wait as they were very busy. Ambulance staff were fantastic taking care of me until I could be admitted. Hospital, various rest rooms I needed to use was clean, cubicles were all clean and well maintained. Staff were amazing!! Orderlies, Nurses and Doctors were all friendly and greeted me with a smile, introducing themselves to me each time. Any visit to a Hospital is always stressful and I felt that staff were really trying to minimise stress and explained regularly what was happening. A few hours on a bed in Casualty then upstairs to the SSU (Short stay unit) for observation. If I needed water, food, blankets etc, wait times for someone after buzzing was only a few minutes at most. I have to say the bed in the SSU cubicle was extremely comfortable! I even had a TV with an easy to use remote and clear speaker to keep me occupied whilst I waited. I wasn't rushed to leave after the Doctor explained what was going to happen next and I could have stayed if I felt uncomfortable going home. Even the dinner I received in SSU was nice, especially the soup! I can't say that I enjoyed my visit and I hope to be back soon"

I can not fault my experience at the Austin Emergency. Every staff member was kind and treated me with respect and care. Whenever I had a teary moment when I came to terms with the news I required surgery, the staff took the time to reassure me and calm me down. Forever grateful to the amazing staff - absolute angels.

Went into Emergency with my daughter in the early hours of the 13/4/23. Everyone was unbelievably lovely; attentive, kind, considerate. Beautiful women all. Thank you for looking after us so well. Down to the heated blanket!

I haven’t been to the ER since I was little kid and since reading such negative reviews on this place, I was a little bit concerned going for the first time today after being referred by my GP. I had big bulge on my face due to an infection so my GP was concerned and sent me off.I was surprised when I got to the hospital. The triage nurses were friendly and patient, the nurses were supportive and the doctor that looked after me was so gentle and sweet and thorough.Even the patients in the waiting room were so chill despite some people had some really bad injuries.Thanks for taking care of me today Team Austin.

My mum had been to emergency twice in the past year and both times the staff were exceptional! A special shoutout to nurse James who struck gold and got to look after her both times (sorry James!) I couldn’t rate the staff at the Austin more highly if I tried! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Noone likes going to the Emergency Room; noone actually wants to be there. That said, after dreading it so much, my experience was really good.I found that the AHER staff were professional, respectful, and validating - not just with me, but also in interactions with other members of the public.Being extremely busy (on a Sunday morning) I anticipated we'd be there for hours, but it ended up just under 2.5hrs.

I highly recommend the wonderful medical team at Austin Emergency. When we arrived to emergency at 10pm on Friday February 10. There were 33 people waiting at emergency. Naturally we expected a long wait. Unfortunately for us it was 10 long hours before we saw a Doctor at 6am.However in that time, the medical staff frequently checked in to ensure we were ok. Multiple x-rays, various scans and tests were being taken during the 10 hour wait.Nobody likes to be kept waiting. However they are worth the wait. We are very appreciative of the care we received. Thank you for being diligent. We are grateful for your expertise and care. Austin Hospital impressed our family. 5 stars!

Absolute joke of an establishment. Put my 70yo mother on the priority wait list" only to be told after 6 hours that it's not that it's another 4 hours

This must be the worse experience of my life. People on autopilot without souls. They threatened to kick me out call the police and not see me because I required a different mask, as the one they had given me was making me sick.They just wanted to kick me out. Australia is going backwards unfortunately

This ED is like being in a Third world country. The small waiting room is crammed with sick infectious people. Wait time today to see a doctor is 10 hours. They meet their SLAs by doing a simple test to admit you" within the 4 hour SLAthen you wait. I was referred by my GP as she felt I had a life threatening infection.... In.the ED I was unconcious on the chairs.No one noticed. Fortunately I'm still alive as I woke up 2 hours later when smepne came to find me for a chest xray. But if the infection was life threatening I would be dead.The ED is full of people that don't need to be here. They come because there is no bul billing clinics. It clogs up the hospital and means that people who do need emergency care have to wait and are put at risk.Please note this is not a criticism of our wonderful healthcare workers. The staff working at the Austin are all under continuos pressure and I thank them for working in such poor conditions.This review is about our healthcare system that still can't sort out the funding model to ensure a hygienically safe environment with service levels that are meaningful."