Referral to emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

  • nil

For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant specialty service.

Central Adelaide Local Health Network

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network

Category 1 — appointment clinically indicated within 30 days

  • nil

Category 2 — appointment clinically indicated within 90 days

  • moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (sleep study result attached) in an adult intolerant of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

Category 3 — appointment clinically indicated within 365 days

  • documented obstructive sleep apnoea
  • upper airway obstruction due to tonsillar hypertrophy
  • moderate to severe symptoms (e.g. Epworth Sleepiness Scale > 15) and a positive sleep study
  • obstructive sleep apnoea in adult anatomical factors/primary snoring/intolerant of CPAP

Essential referral information

Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.

  • complete past medical history
  • current medication list including non-prescription medication, herbs and supplements
  • persons occupation e.g. shift worker
  • details of previous medical management including:
    • treatments previously trialled – including duration and outcome
    • continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) trial if completed and reasons for failure
  • Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, refer to ‘clinical management advice and resources’
  • body mass index (BMI)
  • STOP-Bang Score
  • sleep study
  • copies of all relevant reports and results

Additional information to assist triage categorisation

Alcohol and other drugs history

Clinical management advice

Refer to ‘useful resources prior to referral — clinician resources’ as initial point for management

People with a body mass index (BMI) > 30 may be considered for treatment with documented evidence of active participation in attempts to lose weight

For sleep study assessment refer to sleep clinic

Patients with under bite – consider referral to dentist for mandibular advancement splint

Clinical resources

Consumer resources

Reason for request

  • to establish a diagnosis
  • for treatment or intervention
  • for advice and management
  • for specialist to take over management
  • for a specified test/investigation the General Practitioner cannot order
  • for other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
  • transfer of care from another tertiary service
  • clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary.

Patient demographic details

  • full name, including aliases
  • date of birth
  • residential and postal address
  • telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
  • Medicare number, where eligible
  • name of the parent or caregiver, if appropriate
  • preferred language and interpreter requirements
  • identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

Clinical modifiers

  • impact on employment
  • impact on education
  • impact on home
  • impact on activities of daily living
  • impact on ability to care for others
  • impact on personal frailty or safety
  • identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

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.
  • Relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population, under guardianship/out-of-home care arrangements and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf.
  • Triage of a specialist outpatient referral is based on clinical decision making to allocate an appropriate urgency categorisation.
  • Where appropriate and where available, the referral may be streamed to an associated public allied health and/or nursing service. Access to some specific services may include initial assessment and management by associated public allied health and/or nursing, which may either facilitate or negate the need to see the public medical specialist.
  • A change in patient circumstance (such as condition deteriorating or pregnancy) may affect the urgency categorisation and should be communicated as soon as possible.
  • All new referrals will be triaged by a consultant and appointment times scheduled according to clinical urgency.