The specialty of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Medicine includes the care of a number of the following conditions:

• Diabetes mellitus: "sugar" diabetes and its complications
• Thyroid disease: hyperthyroidism (overactive), hypothyroidism (under-active), goitre and thyroid tumours.
• Bone and calcium disorders: including osteoporosis, osteomalacia, hyper-parathyroidism
• Sex hormone and growth disorders: menopause, puberty, fertility, menstrual difficulties, impotence, hirsutism, short and tall stature, abnormal development
• Lipid and nutritional disorders: including hypercholesterolaemia (high cholesterol) and morbid obesity. (There is a separate Heart Risk Reduction Clinic at Box Hill Hospital dealing with this area).
• Pituitary disease - hyper and hypo function including pituitary tumours. Examples include prolactinoma, acromegaly, Cushing’s syndrome
• Adrenal disease - including endocrine hypertension (high blood pressure), functioning and non-functioning adrenal tumours
• Other: A host of other less common diseases are cared for by endocrinologists.

A referral from your local general practitioner is required to attend our Diabetes & Endocrine Consultative Clinic, held on the ground floor of the hospital on Wednesday mornings.

Dynamic endocrine testing is performed on a regular basis and outside referrals are welcome. Appointments may be made through the Nurse Educators ph.(03) 9895 3445 although discussion with an endocrinologist is recommended. Presently all patients are bulk billed.

We provide comprehensive in-patient services in Diabetes & Endocrinology with a staff that includes four Endocrinologists, three Diabetes Nurse Consultants (diabetes educators), Nutrition and Podiatry services together with registrar and resident medical staff.

The hospital has appropriate tertiary facilities in cardiac services and vascular surgery and also a regular ophthalmology clinic.

Consultants

Dr Richard Simpson, B.Med Sc(Mon) DM(Oxon) FRACP, FRCP (Head of Unit)
Dr Richard Simpson's webpage

Dr Harvey Newnham, MB BS(Hons). FRACP. PhD

Dr Murray Gerstman, MB BS. FRACP (Endocrinology)

Dr Jonathan Taft, MB BS. FRACP, PhD

Outpatients

Wednesdays - 9.00am       Bookings: Tel: 9895 3353

Services

Inpatient and outpatient (ambulatory) care of all aspects of Endocrinology (pituitary, thyroid, adrenal), diabetes and metabolic medicine (lipid abnormalities and bone disease);

Full range of dynamic endocrine tests on day-case basis performed by an experienced endocrine nurse;

Day-case management of Paget’s Disease ( bisphosphate infusion) and painful diabetic neuropathy;

Regular multi-disciplinary Unit meetings for review of all inpatients and difficult management problems involving outpatients;

Supervising I-131 treatment of carcinoma of thyroid;

Medical assessment and care of pituitary tumours and close liaison with pituitary surgeons currently provided off campus;

Close liaison with thyroid and parathyroid surgeons provided on site.

Diabetes Education

Location: 4th Floor, West Wing, Box Hill Hospital    Hospital Map
Telephone: 9895 3445

Clinical Nurse Consultants

Shanne Kast, R.N. RM, ADEA Acc.D.E.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Box Hill Hospital
Monday, Tuesday Diabetes & Endocrine Service
50 Nelson Road, Box Hill
Telephone: 9890 6472
Fax: 9899 8590

Elly Kenyon, RN, ADEA Acc.D.E.

Monday, Wednesday Box Hill Hospital
Thursday (am) Suite 4, 21-23 Arnold Street,
Box Hill 3128
Telephone: 9898 1981
Fax: 9898 1689

Vanessa Viola, B.Nsg.(Hons) R.N. D.E.

Tuesday (pm), Wednesday Box Hill Hospital
Tuesday (am) Suite 4, 21-23 Arnold Street,
Box Hill 3128
Telephone: 9898 1981
Fax: 9898 1689

Outpatients

Monday, Wednesday, Friday Bookings: Telephone: 9895 4870

Services

• Co-ordinated in-patient diabetes care
• Comprehensive diabetes outpatient clinic
• Ambulatory insulin stabilisation
• Ambulatory gestational diabetes management
• Community awareness programs
• Diabetes risk factor assessment