FANZCA; MBBS (Melb); MSc (LSE); Post Grad Dip Surg Anat (Melb); BSc (Otago) Dr Faraz Syed is a Specialist Anaesthetist with clinical interests in enhanced recovery, regional anaesthesia and anaesthesia crisis resource management. He applies these principles routinely to maximise outcomes and minimise risks for his patients embarking on their individual surgical journey. Get to know your anaesthetist Faraz has strong ties to regional WA and New Zealand - he likes to be known on a first name basis to his patients and staff alike. He completed his medical training at The University of Melbourneand trained as an Anaesthetist at a number of reputable institutions on the east coast (including The Austin Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital, Mercy Hospital for Women etc) to achieve his specialist qualification as an admitted Fellow of the Australian & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FANZCA). He pursued his clinical interests further with continued training in regional anaesthesia, peri-operative optimisation and simulation-based clinical education before starting consultancy at numerous hospitals across the greater Perth region. Faraz provides Anaesthesia for a range of surgical subspecialties within St John of God Hospital group and Ramsay Hospital group - he is accredited with most private hospitals in the greater Perth area. Faraz believes in providing a high standard of care for patients who entrust him with their peri-operative management. His work ethic was recognised by ‘The Goatcher Clarke Award’ at Royal Perth Hospital. He was a state finalist at the 2019 WA Health Excellence Awardsas a member of the award winning FSH ENT Enhanced Recovery / ERAS team. He performed the first robotic surgery anaesthetic in the WA public sector after helping co-design the peri-operative pathway for patients facing robotic surgery at Fiona Stanley Hospital. Engaged with solving the bigger issues that face our health system, Faraz has also completed a Masters in Health Economics, Policy and Management at the prestigious London School of Economics. He was appointed to the WA Sustainable Health Review clinical reference groupguiding system-wide changes to improve patient care. His insights have developed further with stints as medical director, safety & quality lead and clinical sub-specialty lead (Orthopaedics) at a large and complex health service (SMHS). Faraz continues to appreciate the many facets of care which are important to his patients, their families and their surgeons. Away from his clinical work, Faraz volunteers with organisations focussed on improving outcomes for those facing social disadvantage (especially kids). He will be found enjoying “dad time” over weekends with his very young family. Billing and Out of pocket expenses: He pursues a fair billing strategy for ALL patients - where similar procedures attract comparable total anaesthetic fees regardless of the patient’s choice of health fund. Most funds in the market will attract a shortfall payment for which an estimate will be flagged to you during the course of your care. For a number of funds with “known gap schemes”, it means a maximum out of pocket expense (or maximum gap) of $500 under a fund’s “known gap” arrangement for major procedures. These arrangements give patients the peace of mind and transparency that they seek when navigating their medical expenses. Other health insurance funds may not offer a “known gap option” and some health insurance funds may also elect to contribute financially less to your anaesthetic care for any number of reasons - in such scenarios, patients may be quoted a shortfall amount greater than $500. In essence the shortfall  amount ( ie the amount your fund does not cover ) will reflect the rebate your fund is willing to provide to you in your specific circumstances. The total anaesthetic fee will remain similar to every other patient in comparable circumstances with Dr Syed. Please liaise with Dr Syed’s rooms at Precision Anaesthesia for quotes or any other billing enquires. Uninsured patients in particular are encouraged to have quotes finalised in advance of their procedure. If you are facing genuine financial hardship or difficulty that may impinge on your ability to access care, it is important that you please flag this to Dr Syed’s secretary so that the best option can be worked out regarding fee payment on a case-by-case basis Prior to surgery: As a patient, you are unique. Hence it is vital to plan any anaesthesia such that it aligns with YOUR goals, YOUR current state of health and the specific risks YOU face while pursuing YOUR surgery in order to achieve the best outcomes for you. One of the most important steps to enable individualised care is that you complete your pre-operative anaesthetic questionnaire accurately and supply us with a recent list of your regular medications (as part of the anaesthetic questionnaire or separately emailed to Dr Syed’s rooms) before meeting with Dr Syed to chat about your anaesthetic plan. Dr Syed will routinely discuss your medical history and your anaesthetic plan with you prior to or on the day of surgery (unless your medical history, your surgical risk or specific procedures suggests a need for a separate pre-operative consult prior to the day of surgery). If you have specific concerns or queries, please do not hesitate to contact Dr Syed’s rooms before your surgery - his staff will guide you if a formal consult is necessary with Dr Syed in-person / via phone/ via Telehealth to resolve your specific query. Do I need to stop my medications: With hundreds of medications on the market, it is vital that an up-to-date medication list is provided for Dr Syed’s review before he can advise you on specific medication management. You are welcome to enter this list as part of your anaesthetic questionnaire or email a list from your GP or your pharmacy to his rooms to be added to your record. If you suffer from Diabetes that requires oral medication, as a general rule you should not take oral diabetes medication while fasting or taking bowel prep. If you take insulin, please call Dr Syed’s rooms with your insulin regime and he can advise on a specific plan most suited to your upcoming procedure. If you are taking any blood thinners, you should discuss the risk of bleeding and any pauses to your blood thinner regime with your surgeons. If you are taking chronic pain medications as a patch (especially NALTREXONE), you need to flag its presence to Dr Syed’s rooms at your earliest so a plan can be made on how to best deal with it in the pre-operative period. Apart from the above, you are encouraged to take your usual medications at their usual times (including while you are fasting with small sips of water only). In cases where the medication addresses heart disease, heart failure, lung disease, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease or Epilepsy - it is important that you continue the medications that address these conditions even while fasting on the day of surgery. Missing your medications with these conditions may lead to delay, postponement or cancellation on the day of surgery. During your surgery: All patients like to be in a safe set of hands during their procedure. Dr Syed has significant training in crisis-resource management and teaches regularly at courses / conferences / workshops for fellow anaesthetists focussed on anaesthetic emergencies, crisis management in the operating room and advanced airway techniques. He has been the Anaesthesia Safety & Quality Lead for the largest public hospital anaesthetic department in Australia and more recently, he was appointed as a deputy member to the WA Anaesthetic Mortality & Morbidity Committee. Please be reassured that Safety and Risk management are at the very forefront of Dr Syed’s priority list when dealing with your specific case. You can be reassured that Dr Syed’s focus will be on how to reduce the risks your face from any procedures or underlying medical issues. He is well versed in both asleep and awake forms of anaesthesia - and will advise you on the best option suited to your preferences and needs for your procedure. After your Surgery: Dr Syed has followed his keen interest in regional anaesthesia with a placement at New York School of Regional Anaesthesia (NYSORA). He understands the nature of anatomical variations which are unique to each patient having previously completed a post-graduate diploma of surgical anatomy and a Bachelor of Science majoring in Anatomy & Structural Biology. He uses regional anaesthesia techniques to minimise the need for opioid medications whenever the benefits of such techniques outweigh the risks for individual patient. He may discuss these techniques (when applicable) as part of your anaesthetic plan. Dr Syed routinely liaises with your nursing staff to ensure a smooth recovery from your procedure. He may prescribe discharge medications (such as antibiotics and pain relief) as indicated for your surgery - you should take these according to the instructions provided to ensure a good surgical outcome. If you have any specific concerns, you may contact Dr Syed either through the hospital switchboard where you had your procedure (after-hours) or through his rooms at Precision Anaesthesia (during office hours) to clarify any concerns. Input from your near and dear ones: Dr Syed believes that good quality patient-centred care benefits from specialist recommendations as well as carer input. He welcomes any questions or input from family members, carers or next of kin that may help improve the patient’s care. It is common for parents to be invited to the operating room with little ones for the start of their anaesthetic where it may be deemed useful for our younger patients. One of his favourite activities as an anaesthetist is to provide analgesia for women during childbirth. At all times, he aims to keep the focus on the patient’s best outcomes and their needs while providing safe options that meet their requirements.

Dr Faraz Syed:

Dr Syed encourages a transparent billing model and encourages his patients to be informed about any costs that face them from their anaesthetic management prior to their scheduled procedures. Dr Syed supports initiatives of the Commonwealth Government, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) for obtaining Informed Financial Consent.

General Information for patients