Referrals to specialist outpatient services within Logan Hospital must be in writing, and as a minimum contain the following:
• Patient demographics including Medicare number and Interpreter requirements
• Patient's mobile phone contact number and an alternate postal or contact address (if not the same as usual residence)
• Reason for referral (including the problem to be assessed, degree of loss of function, pain experienced)
• Results of relevant investigations (pathology, radiology, histology)
• Current medications and doses, prescribed and over the counter (note any recent changes in drug therapy)
• Allergies (drug/topical preparation)
• Relevant information about the patient's condition such as previous medical/surgical treatment (include systemic and topical medications prescribed for the condition) and details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g., diabetes)
• Relevant psychological and social issues impacted by condition
• Smoking and alcohol history.
• please triage the urgency for this patient according to the following categories:
• urgent - needs to be contacted within 24 hours
• priority - needs to be contacted within 3 days
• routine - needs to be contacted within 7 days
• all referrals are reviewed by the Nurse daily and
• Palliative Care in the Community can visit at home if the patient is too ill to attend the clinic.