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Catchment criteria applies for referrals for this service. Patient referrals from outside the Mater SEQ Catchment (which includes Metro South and West Moreton Hospital and Health Services) may not be accepted.
Asthma
Bronchiectasis / chronic suppurative lung disease (CSLD)
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Cystic Fibrosis
Haemoptysis without known lung disease
Intersitial Lung Disease (ILD)
Lung Cancer
Pleural Disorders
Pulmonary Hypertension
Sarcoidosis
Shortness of breath / dyspnoea without a known cause
Tuberculosis / non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all conditions for outpatient service and does not exclude consideration for referral unless specifically stipulated in the above 'out of scope' section.
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this) Approximate age at diagnosis Duration and severity of symptoms (breathlessness, chest tightness, wheezing and cough) Frequency of exacerbations Management including: current medications (including complete list of all patient's medications) previous tried respiratory medications Oral Prednisolone use Previous hospitalisations Allergies Spirometry (if available) Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral) Allergy testing results Triggers Assessment of adherence to treatment Smoking status Family history of asthma FBC CXR Comorbid conditions Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list) Refer to relevant HealthPathways or local guidelines. The aim of Asthma management is to control the disease. Complete control is defined as: No day or night symptoms Minimal or no need for beta agonist treatment (less than 2 times per week) No exacerbations No limitations on physical activity Minimal side effects of treatment Clinical Resources National Asthma Council Australia including Asthma Action Plans National Asthma Campaign (NAC) literature Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand guidelines Australian Asthma Handbook Patient Resources Asthma Australia National Asthma Council Australia Categorisation Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Essential information (Referral will be declined without this)
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
Other useful information for management (not an exhaustive list)
Clinical Resources
Patient Resources
Categorisation
Available appointments are provided to our patients based on clinical priority. A process of categorisation ensures safety and equity of access.
Category 1 – urgent
Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 30 days
Category 2 - Priority
Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 90 days
Category 3 - Routine
Clinically recommended timeframe for initial appointment is 365 days
History of life threatening asthma in the past 12 months requiring ventilation or ICU admission
Unstable asthma with consistent FEV1 < 60% predicted
Asthma caused or exacerbated by workplace exposure where patient is unable to work as a result
Inadequate asthma control as defined in Other Useful Information despite optimal treatment
Asthma related hospital admission/s in the last 3 months
Need for oral corticosteroids on more than 1 occaision in the last year
Asthma with frequent after-hours attendance (ED or after hours GP) despite optimal treatment
Asthma caused or exacerbated by workplace exposure where patient is still able to work as a result
Uncertainty about diagnosis
Asthma education where this cannot be provided in primary care
Clinician Resources
Chronic bronchiectasis / CSLD with any of the following:
Chronic bronchiectasis / CSLD with frequent (>3 per year) infective exacerbations despite optimal therapy
Stable symptomatic bronchiectasis / CSLD
Asymptomatic newly diagnosed or suspected bronchiectasis / CSLD
Treatment Trial
No Category 1 Criteria
No Category 2 Criteria
Cough present for > 8 weeks with normal CXR and normal spirometry and no improvement following treatment trial as specified in Other Useful Information
COPD with chronic respiratory failure
COPD with worsening right heart failure
Recurrent (>3 in 12 months) acute exacerbations or acute presentations to emergency
Uncontrolled but stable symptoms on daily basis that limit ADLs / Class 4 dyspnoea
Requiring assessment for oxygen therapy
COPD with demonstrated severe airflow obstruction (FEV1 <40%)
Stable COPD for consideration for pulmonary rehabilitation or educations (where community services are not available)
Clinician resources
Newly diagnosed Cystic Fibrosis
Patients with known Cystic Fibrosis transitioning from a paediatric or other adult centre who have recent clinical instability and / or severe lung disease (FEV1 <40%)
Suspected or undiagnosed Cystic Fibrosis
Patients with known Cystic Fibrosis transitioning from a paediatric or other adult centre who have recent clinical instability or moderate lung disease (FEV1 >40%)
No Category 3 Criteria
Recurrent low volume haemoptysis on a daily basis over three days
Intermittent haemoptysis over a three week period
No category 2 criteria
No category 3 criteria
Newly diagnosed or suspected ILD with Class 2 / 3 dyspnoea
Known ILD with worsening hypoxaemia or right heart failure
Chronic ILD with Class 1 dyspnoea
Newly diagnosed or suspected ILD without symptoms
Known ILD with stable symptoms requring specialist opinion
Suspected lung cancer
Previously treated lung cancer with suspected recurrence
Pulmonary nodules <1cm (incidental finding on imaging)
No Category 3 criteria
Pleural effusion
Extensive pleural disease including:
Pleural plaques
Newly diagnosed pulmonary hypertension without known heart or lung disease
Known pulmonary hypertension with Class 3/4 dyspnoea (ADLS affected by dyspnoea)
Known pulmonary hypertension with deteriorating functional status over 3 months
Known pulmonary hypertension with deteriorating functional status over the past year
Known pulmonary hypertension with Class 1/2 dyspnoea
Stable pulmonary hypertension for specialist opinion
No category 1 criteria
More than 3-4 presentations of lower respiratory infections requiring antibiotics in the past 12 months
Known or suspected sarcoidosis with any of the following concerning features:
Known sarcoidosis with progressive symptoms
Suspected sarcoidosis
Known sarcoidosis requiring specialist review
Class 3/4 dyspnoea (ADLS affected by dyspnoea)
Oxygen saturations 90-92% at rest
Unexplained chronic dyspnoea of uncertain origin
Suspected or confirmed sleep apnoea with any of the following:
Suspected or confirmed sleep hyperventilation with any of the following:
Suspected or confirmed sleep apnoea that do not meet criteria for Category 1 or 2 but still require specialist review
Unexplained hypersomnolence (Epworth Sleepiness Scale score > or equal to 16) not attributed to inadequate sleep hygiene or environmental factors
Suspected or confirmed narcolepsy
Suspected or confirmed parasomnia or nocturnal seizures with injury to self or others
Suspected or confirmed sleep related movement disorder with injury to self or others
Unexplained hypersomnolence (Epworth Sleepiness Scale score > or equal to 12) not attributed to inadequate sleep hygiene or environmental factors
Suspected or confirmed sleep disorders (other than sleep apnoea) that do not meet criteria for Category 1 or 2 but still require specialist review
Suspected or proven pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis
Suspected non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections with cavitary lung disease or significant haemoptysis
Suspected pulmonary non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infection
Suspected latent tuberculosis
If referral for care is indicated please list all of the General Referral Information, reason for request, and essential information as indicated below.
Referrals can be sent by:
Digital referrals in your practice software that include templates linked with referral criteria for quality handover for any public hospital
Cloud solution in your practice software that eliminates the need for template management
Medical Objects: HM4101000R8
HealthLink EDI: materref
For fax and secure messaging our latest Mater Adult Referral Form or Antenatal Form are available to embed into most major Practice Management software systems.
Mater Health offers patients the opportunity to attend bulk billed clinics. To provide your patient with the opportunity to attend a bulk billed clinic, please provide a named referral to one of the specialists listed above.
If you would like to discuss a referral, including clinical criteria, or update the status of a current patient please contact our priority GP phone line on 07 3163 2200
We provide up to date data on how long patients are waiting for their first appointment by specialty here.
These Mater Referral Guidelines have been developed locally by GPs and specialists to support safe and quality referral to publicly funded specialist outpatient services.
Content last reviewed: 13 December 2023
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