Urologist Dr Elayne Ooi bringing unique expertise to the Great Southern 

Urologist Dr Elayne Ooi is now consulting at the Great Southern Specialist Centre and, with other specialists, planning a dedicated Albany Prostate Clinic - greatly enhancing the urology offering in the region.  

While 2020 will be remembered as the year COVID changed the world forever, for Dr Ooi it also marked a new chapter in her life as a visiting urologist in Albany which she commenced in January.

Based at Swan Urology in Perth, Dr Ooi’s special interests are wide and varied and include but are not limited to: Prostate cancer, Benign prostate enlargement, Male incontinence, Kidney stones, Overactive bladder, Bladder cancer and Vasectomy reversal.

Dr Ooi’s vision is to provide a one-stop shop for patients in the Great Southern region to have appointments, investigations and treatment for all their urological problems at the Great Southern Specialist Centre and Albany Day Hospital. 

In collaboration with other specialists, she is establishing, as a new initiative, the Albany Prostate Clinic where cancer patients can consult with a urologist, medical oncologist and radiation oncologist at one site on the same day. This team approach will improve outcomes, and reduce waiting times and travel.

Growing up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dr Ooi was awarded a scholarship to study medicine in the University of Adelaide from 1994-1999. Her love for working with her hands and in a team led her to pursue a surgical career. She chose urology as her specialty because of the broad range of conditions and operations, research, technology and flexibility. 

After completing a robotic surgery fellowship in 2012, she was appointed consultant at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and started private practice at Swan Urology where she still practices.

Dr Ooi said Albany had been well supported over the past three decades by her predecessors, Dr Stan Wisniewski and Dr Sris Baskaranathan and both the GSSC and Albany Prostate Clinic would add to the great work already achieved.

“Existing challenges that I am committed to make improvements on are reducing waiting times and number of visits required for diagnosis and treatment; to improve collaboration and communication with GP’s and community health care workers; to increase awareness on management of urological issues so investigations and treatment can be initiated by GP’s before seeing a specialist; and upgrade equipment and upskill theatre staff so a wider range of procedures can be done locally,” she said.

Dr Ooi said she enjoyed helping regional areas and the farming community in the Great Southern held a special place in her heart. 

“To me, it represents what Australia is known for - grain, fruit, cattle, sheep and wine, and I feel privileged to be in a place to support the health of farmers and tradespersons who tenaciously keep these industries going,” she said. “I love the hardworking, practical and down-to-earth nature of the people who live in regional areas and enjoy the challenge of managing the wide variety of urological conditions.”

Dr Ooi will be consulting to the GSSC on Tuesdays and Wednesdays every 4 weeks. For all appointment enquiries please contact Dr Ooi’s reception team at Swan Urology on phone (08) 655 6558 or email reception@swanurology.com.