Cardiac Testing Services in Victoria

Cardiac Testing Services for Patients  

At Clinical Labs Victoria, we provide a comprehensive range of cardiac testing services to support doctors in investigating and managing patients’ cardiac health. Our services include on-the-spot ECGs, 5-Lead Holter monitoring, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, blood tests such as cholesterol and BNP and our dedicated Warfarin Dosing Program.   

See below for a summary of the key cardiac testing services available at Clinical Labs Victoria.  

Holter Monitoring (Ambulatory ECG Monitoring)
A Holter monitor is a portable medical device that records your cardiac activity for 24 hours as you go about your daily routine. Holter monitors are lightweight, worn with a waistband or in a pouch around your neck, and are particularly useful in identifying cardiac arrhythmias that may be short-lived or asymptomatic, allowing them to be matched with symptoms.   
Holter Monitor Testing Information
Testing Instructions:
Discuss Holter monitoring with your referring doctor. 
Holter monitors are available at select Clinical Labs collection centres. To find the nearest collection centre offering Holter monitoring, visit our Locations page and select ‘Holter’ from the drop-down menu.
Once you have a request form from your doctor, you will need to call a Clinical Labs collection centre offering the Holter monitoring service to book a time for collection and fitting of the device.  
Test Cost:
Medicare-eligible patients will be charged a total out-of-pocket cost of $26.10. Please note you will be required to pay the full cost of $192.25 for your Holter monitor test via our online payment portal when having your device fitted at the Clinical Labs collection centre. Assistance from our collector is available if required. If you are eligible for a Medicare rebate, you will receive your refund directly from Medicare in the weeks after your test results are issued. Please ensure your bank account details are registered with Medicare so you can receive this payment.
Turnaround Time:
Your referring doctor will receive your Holter monitor report within 3-5 business days after the return of the device to the Clinical Labs collection centre.
Additional Resources:   
Holter Monitor Patient Instructions
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring 
 Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is recognised as a gold standard test for blood pressure assessment. The National Heart Foundation of Australia, in its summary of recommendations, states that “ABPM be offered to patients with a blood pressure ≥ 140/90 in order to confirm the blood pressure level.”  

ABPM provides blood pressure measurement over a period of 24 hours. The automatic cuff inflates every 30 minutes during the day and every 1 hour overnight. At the end of your test, the results are interpreted by an expert cardiologist, and a comprehensive report is sent to your referring doctor. 
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor Testing Information
Testing Instructions:
Discuss Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring with your referring doctor.
ABPMs are available at select Clinical Labs collection centres. To find the collection centre nearest you offering ABPM, visit our Locations page and select ‘BP Monitor’ from the drop-down menu.
Once you have a request form from your doctor, call a Clinical Labs collection centre offering the ABPM service to book a time for collection and fitting of the device.
Test Cost:
Medicare-eligible patients will be charged a total out-of-pocket cost of $72.65. Please note you will be required to pay the full cost of $174.75 for your ambulatory blood pressure monitor test via our online payment portal when having your device fitted at the Clinical Labs collection centre. Assistance from our collector is available if required.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitors were added to the Medicare Benefits Schedule on 1 November 2023. If you are eligible for a Medicare rebate, you will receive your refund directly from Medicare in the weeks after your test results are issued. Please ensure your bank account details are registered with Medicare so you can receive this payment.
Turnaround Time:
Your referring doctor will receive your ABPM report within 3-5 business days after the device is returned to the Clinical Labs collection centre.
Additional Resources:   
BP Monitor Patient Instructions
ECG       
Despite the many advancements in heart testing, the standard 12-lead ECG (electrocardiogram) remains the initial cardiological investigation performed during a doctor’s consultation or hospital visit.   

An ECG may be recommended for a variety of reasons, such as checking general heart health, evaluating symptoms like chest pain, palpitations, dizziness or fainting, or as part of a routine check before surgery. In some cases, it may also be used to assess inherited heart conditions, especially in athletes, or to monitor patients with heart muscle problems (cardiomyopathy) or those with pacemakers.    
ECG Testing Information
Testing Instructions:
Discuss ECG testing with your referring doctor.
ECG is a walk-in service; no appointment is necessary. Once you have a request form from your doctor, you can attend any Clinical Labs collection centre offering the ECG service.
The ECG service is available at select Clinical Labs collection centres. To find the nearest collection centre offering this service, visit our Locations page and select ‘ECG’ from the drop-down menu.
Test Cost:
Medicare-eligible patients will be charged a total out-of-pocket cost of $19.80. Please note you will be required to pay the full cost of $50.80 for your ECG test via our online payment portal when having your test performed at the Clinical Labs collection centre. Assistance from our collector is available if required. If you are eligible for a Medicare rebate, you will receive your refund directly from Medicare in the weeks after your test results are issued. Please ensure your bank account details are registered with Medicare so you can receive this payment.
Turnaround Time:
Your referring doctor will receive your ECG report within 24-48 hours after your test at the Clinical Labs collection centre. Urgent results will be available sooner.
Biochemical Cardiac Testing (Blood Tests) 
Along with cardiac testing services such as ECG, Holter monitoring and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, Clinical Labs also offers a wide range of biochemical cardiac tests (blood tests). These tests are useful in the assessment and treatment of heart disease and are ordered by doctors based on your symptoms. Examples include:  
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP): for heart failure  
Troponin: for chest pain 
Liver function tests: for hypertension (high blood pressure) 
Calcium: for palpitations  
Cholesterol: for atherosclerosis (a condition where plaque builds up inside your arteries, causing them to harden and narrow, which can restrict blood flow)
Cardiac Blood Test Information
Testing Instructions:
Once you have a request form from your doctor, you can visit any Clinical Labs collection centre for your blood test.
Test Cost:
Most blood tests are bulk-billed, subject to Medicare eligibility criteria.