Ratings for Dr. Chris O'Callaghan

5
Staff
5
Punctuality
5
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Dr Chris is amazing. He is kind, compassionate, thorough, and extremely knowledgeable.
I have multiple chronic illnesses and he took them, and my long list of meds, into consideration when forming a treatment plan for my dysautonomia.
He provided handouts of the relevant information, explained everything clearly, and made sure that every concern or question was covered. It took a few medication trials, but we found one that works for me. I genuinely do not have words to express just how incredible and life changing my experience with him has been.

I did see him privately, without insurance, and it did take a year to see him after getting a referral, but it was all worth it.

Submitted Jan. 13, 2023

5
Staff
5
Punctuality
5
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Dr O'Callaghan, was empathic, knowledgable and thorough. He also had solutions from his research which managed to guide and help me after a life of misdiagnosis and scepticism from the general medical community. My visit to him was genuinely life changing.

Submitted April 28, 2022

5
Staff
5
Punctuality
5
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Chris is an incredibly knowledgeable, caring and supportive specialist who diagnosed my daughter after many years of ill health. He has a personable manner, explains everything incredibly well and engages the patient in their treatment. His followup is just as impressive as his very comprehensive initial assessment and my daughter and I would highly recommend Chris.

Submitted May 21, 2021

4
Staff
4
Punctuality
5
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Dr Chris O’Callaghan was the first doctor I’ve seen who understood the complexity of my blood pressure problems. His explanations were thorough and very clear, and he took a very detailed history, explains many things about me that I had never realised were connected to my chronic low blood pressure. I would highly recommend him.

Submitted May 5, 2021

5
Staff
5
Punctuality
5
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

I have suffered BP problems for 6 years seeings 4 different cardiologists who were very good but not able to sort my problem. My GP however continued to search for a specialist who would be able to help me. On a medical forum someone suggested Assoc Prof Dr Chris O'Callaghan in Heidelberg. My GP sent a letter regarding my situation which was extremely high BP then dropping to extremely low BP, hence on a day to day basis I could never plan anything and generally felt awful most of the time. I had has several admissions to Epworth Hospital, great care but no answers. After triaging my referral I had a call from Nicole, Dr O'Callaghans secretary and was seen within a couple of weeks. Nicole is exceptionally helpful, pleasant and considerate.

On my first visit to see Dr O'Callaghan he asked a few specific questions typing everything as we spoke. He then turned to me and said "are these your symptoms "then proceeded to list almost everything I had been struggling with for 6 years. I had been treated for high BP, on medications to lower my BP but to the point I felt weak most of the time, my knees would feel as if they were giving way, my pulse was high a lot of the time and quite a few other problems which meant I could not function normally on a day to day basis or make any plans. My BP would fluctuate between 225/112 to 84/49.

Dr O"Callaghan explained to me I was actually suffering from low BP not high. I will not even try to explain in detail how he explained my condition as I am not qualified to do so. However one of the things he did explain it was my adrenaline driving the high reading. He spent an hour explaining how to manage my problem. He was incredible, patiently answering my questions in great detail. I walked out of his consulting room not believing how fortunate I was that my wonderful GP had found this amazing man. My life has changed so much over the las couple of months now I understand what is happening and being treated accordingly. On my second visit last week he asked me how I was. I told him "I feel as if I have won the lotto seeing you." He laughed but that is exactly how I feel. Obviously I am not on top of things yet as it is a complicated issue but I sure am feeling so much better no dramatic spikes in my BP. I also had a BP and heart monitor on for 24 hours. Dr O"Callaghan printed the results out for me and explained everything which was so informative and gave a huge insight to how my body functions which no one has ever done before. Thank you Dr O'Callaghan, Nicole and the nurses who were so helpful through this procedure also. I cannot recommend this man highly enough. He is totally dedicated to helping his patients.

Submitted March 30, 2021

1
Staff
1
Punctuality
1
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Chris' staff are incredibly rude and unhelpful. Chris is good value, however the system he works within completely fails patients. I saw him privately initially and was transfered over to austin by Chris for affordable care. I literally cannot action Chris' care plan and I am still waiting a year later for public care. My daughter was also referred to him, the staff refused to speak to me about her appointments (like when it is). The staff have made this experience very distressing including accusing me of breaking equipment and "keeping it from them" which I did nothing of the sort. I was given a faulty machine and refused to stand in a 3 hour long line to post it back during lockdown. They are supposed to be treating me for dysautonomia and then ask me to stand on a long line unmedicated. Pretty sure his staff wanted me in an ambulance at that. Very ignorant to the disease they are treating. Left to wait and fight it out with the Austin, who have bumped us a year away. I can barely get out of bed at 75/55 and my o2 sitting on 88. Overall, not a pleasant experience and now have to look for a new Cardiologist as Chris refuses to return calls or reassure the patients he was paid to care for. Waste of my funding and time. Ive spent the last year in bed. I will probably pass away here. Emergency care will shovel me back into outpatients- which is clearly going very well. Chris will not fix this issue. And I fall into his "boxes" , people.

Submitted Feb. 24, 2021

5
Staff
3
Punctuality
5
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Chris is excellent at treating Orthostatic Intolerance. Knowledgeable and explains everything clearly.

Submitted Sept. 7, 2020

3
Staff
4
Punctuality
4
Helpfulness
4
Knowledge

The first doctor really who was prepared to take my problems seriously. Took extensive notes and is very knowledgeable. However, I feel that if his course of treatment doesn't work, ie you don't fall into the category he's researching, he doesn't have a lot of interest in going further in other directions, which is disappointing, as his medications didn't help me.

Submitted Aug. 22, 2020

5
Staff
1
Punctuality
2
Helpfulness
3
Knowledge

He seems to want to put you into a category that is his particular field of interest. He does help people who fit the criteria but I felt pressured to say yes to questions Ie about limb flexibility just based on childhood sports to meet the criteria. No luck on various meds for me but he can help others. Go for an early appointment to avoid long waits. He does not do cardiologist tilt table tests for people with Orthostatic problems. I ended up switching to a POTS specialist who is a cardiologist.

Submitted June 17, 2020

5
Staff
5
Punctuality
4
Helpfulness
5
Knowledge

Staff (5)
The staff working with Dr. O’Callaghan incredibly helpful and kind. They always pass on information and assist in providing advice with addressing the healthcare system. Very approachable. Always ask how I am.

Punctuality (5)
Was late once but spent just as much time with me. No qualms here.

Knowledgable (4.5)
Probably too much so.
(-0.5) My issue is that I want to be included in the knowledge, thinking, discussion and clinically reasoning. I’ve found this doesn’t really happen in this case (especially at the Austin) which is quite frustrating. Especially when I want to know why something has been said, advised or am confused about a response.

Helpfullness (4.5)
He communicates info incredibly well. I’ve found I need to actively ask questions and push a bit outside of my comfort zone to address things though (which is good for me, but incredibly challenging and something I’m still working on)
Service/Location issue (- 0.5) I’ve found appointments unhelpful when residents have been involved and made assumptions that required correcting - Having to argue with medical professionals in that clinic is distressing to me. Dr. O’ Callaghan immediately comes in to fix this once he’s made aware, … but arguing with that doctors wasted the entire appointment, especially when they only had to literally listen to what I said.
Information Provision (-0.5) I find it really hard when the information provided is very prescriptive instead of personalised and collaborative where I can ask questions and discuss how to apply it. I don’t have anyone in my social network or even my medical provider network that even tries or begins to understand the nature of my medical presentation. Dr. O’Callaghan does this almost entirely at his private rooms. Also my medical condition impacts my communication, I need more prompting of information and asking of questions to make my points. I take in a physical list to get around this. Enquiries (+0.5) Asking a question or enquiring outside from appointments, Dr. O’Callaghan will sometimes respond to you directly himself via phone or email.

Bedside Manner (4) Always supportive toward me.
(-0.5) I’ve been disappointed with the lack of time (Austin), or when I felt I couldn’t get my concerns across in a way that was easily understood, or that weren’t within his “scope” despite being a general medical question. I get the approach, but I don’t like the assumption that my current medical providers are able to address this. I wouldn’t be asking if I was comfortable with their service/response.
Multitasking and demands (-0.5) It’s hard to catch him at the Austin when he hasn’t appeared like his mind is in five other places at once / appears distracted / or “up in his head” instead of talking with you. I’m fine with the writing on the computer, too many doctors I’ve had havent even bothered to take notes… but for me this makes it hard to get my point across and leads to misinterpretations that I’m to exhausted to correct. Despite this, he takes on feedback and makes changes when directly spoken to. I’ve just had to work extra hard on getting to the point, which can be incredible exhausting given my condition.


Price (5)
The initial appointment is the most worth while and cost effective appointment I’ve ever had. So many others overcharge and literally doing nothing, or waiting for you to fill out a questionnaire that they don’t send you in advanced, or reading prior to you coming in. If I wanted to fill out questions during and pay for it, I’d study the profession myself. And if I’m paying someone for their time and service, I actually want their time and service.

It is a higher price but subsequent ones are relatively normal for a private specialist.

When Dr. O’Callaghan became aware I was in severe financial distress and couldn’t afford to continue private consultations, he advocated for me to move my appointments to the Austin outpatients whilst he saw me privately

Submitted June 12, 2020

Facility Affiliations