Diabetes

• Diabetes-related ketoacidosis
• Diabetes and severe vomiting
• severe hyperglycemia
• Acute severe hypoglycaemia
• Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS)
• Newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes, please contact the on-call registrar or consultant immediately. The client should be referred to a diabetes specialist service within 24 hours. If a specialist service is not available, the client should present to the nearest emergency department.

High Risk Foot

• Foot ulcer with infection and systemically unwell or febrile
• Invasive infection or rapidly spreading cellulitis (defined by peripheral redness around the wound > 2cm)
• Acute Ischaemia
• Wet Gangrene
• Acute or suspected Charcot foot
• Acute or suspected acute Charcot foot, unless able to access a High Risk Foot clinic within 48 hours

Thyroid disorders

• Hyperthyroidism complicated by cardiac, respiratory compromise or other indications of severe illness (fever, vomiting, labile blood pressure, altered mental state)
• Neutropenic sepsis in patient taking carbimazole or propylthiouracil
• Hyperthyroidism with hypokalaemia or paralysis
• Stridor associated with a thyroid mass
• Possible tracheal or superior vena cava obstruction from retrosternal thyroid enlargement

Adrenal disease

• Severe hypertension (see above)
• Phaeochromocytoma crisis
• Potassium <3mmol/L
• Suspected adrenal haemorrhage

Pituitary disorders

• Pituitary tumour with sudden severe headache
• Acute onset visual loss or diplopia
• Pituitary tumour with likely adrenal crisis (hypotension, tachycardia, vomiting, altered level of consciousness)

Calcium, electrolyte and metabolic bone disorders

• Acutely symptomatic hypocalcaemia (e.g. tetany) with serum corrected calcium <2.0mmol/L
• Severe symptomatic hypercalcaemia (usually serum calcium > 3.0 mmol/l)
• Hypernatraemia or hyponatraemia with acute confusion/delirium
• Suspected or confirmed diabetes insipidus with hypernatraemia

Glucocorticoid excess (Cushing's syndrome)

• Hypokalaemia with potassium <3mmol/L

Disorders of salt and water

• Hypernatraemia or hyponatraemia with acute confusion/delirium
• Suspected or confirmed arginine vasopressin deficiency (previously known as central diabetes insipidus) or arginine vasopressin resistance (previously known as nephrogenic diabetes insipidus) with hypernatraemia

Assessment for metabolic surgery suitability

• No referrals to emergency relating to Statewide Bariatric Pathway

Hypertension (Endorine)

• Hypertensive emergency (BP>220/120)
• Severe hypertension (systolic BP >180) with any of the following concerning features:
  • headache
  • confusion
  • blurred vision
  • retinal haemorrhage
  • reduced level of consciousness
  • seizures
  • proteinuria
  • papilledema
  • signs of heart failure
  • chest pain
  • acute kidney injury
• If suspected pregnancy induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia refer patient to the emergency department or maternity assessment unit of a facility that offers obstetric services where possible.
• Phaeochromocytoma in crisis with uncontrolled hypertension

Obesity

• Acute decompensation of cardiorespiratory/ renal function

Oligo/amenorrhoea, hirsutism, acne, female infertility

• Pituitary tumour with sudden severe headache, acute onset visual loss/diplopia or adrenal crisis (hypotension, tachycardia, vomiting, altered level of consciousness

Reason for request

• To establish a diagnosis
• For treatment or intervention
• For advice and management
• For specialist to take over management
• Reassurance for GP/second opinion
• For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
• Reassurance for the patient/family
• For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
• Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

Relevant clinical information about the condition

• Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
• Physical findings
• Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
• All conservative options that have been pursued unsuccessfully prior to referral
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
• Any special care requirements where relevant (e.g tracheostomy in place, oxygen required)
• Current medications and dosages
• Drug allergies
• Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

Patient's Demographic Details

• Full name (including aliases)
• Date and country of birth
• Residential and postal address including whether patient resides at an aged care facility
• Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
• Medicare number (where eligible)
• Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
• Name of delegate and contact details (Department of Corrective Services)
• Preferred language and interpreter requirements
• Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• Any special needs, access requirements and/or disability relevant to the referral

Referring Practitioner Details

• Full name
• Full address
• Contact details – telephone, fax, email
• Provider number
• Date of referral
• Signature
• Nominated general practitioner’s details (if known), if the nominated general practitioner is different from the referring practitioner

Other relevant information

• Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
• Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
• Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)