The following guide outlines the steps we take to determine what happens next based on your referral:
Step 1:
Your referral is sent from your GP to Outpatient Clinics by HealthLink SmartForms, via the Emergency Department, or alternatively faxed from your GP.
Step 2:
We review your referral within 2-3 days.
Please note: If we need more information, we will contact your GP and they have 30 days to send us an updated referral. If an updated referral is not sent, you will receive a letter stating your referral is closed.
Step 3:
We triage your referral within five days.
Triage is our way of assessing the information on your referral form to determine if your condition is urgent or not urgent.
Urgent: You are given an appointment date.
Not urgent : You go on a wait list.
Step 4:
We send a letter to you and your GP to confirm the outcome of your referral.
The program formerly known as the Victorian CRM Program will officially transition to its new name: VicKey.
The VicKey brand reflects the program’s expanded focus on delivering digital tools that enhance access, coordination and communication across Victoria’s public health services.
What’s changing?
- The MyHospital branding will be retired across all program materials.
- The VicKey logo will be used across all communications, training materials and within the CRM interface.
You may be contacted via SMS with a message from VicKey
Contacts
Contact us if you have any questions regarding this information, or you are concerned about the outcome of your referral.
Contacts at Werribee Mercy Hospital
Outpatient Clinics - Medical/Surgical
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Phone numbers:
Outpatient Clinics - Medical/Surgical
03 8754 6700
- Phone number: 03 8754 6710
- Website: Outpatient access
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About:
Call this number for:
· Appointment questions
· Referral questions
· You want to speak to a nurse about why you are coming to see the specialist
· You want to change your appointment
· You want to tell us you no longer need your appointment
Outpatient Clinics - Antenatal
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Phone numbers:
Outpatient Clinics - Antenatal
03 8754 3390
- Phone number: 03 8754 6710
- Website: Antenatal clinics
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About:
Call this number for:
· Appointment questions
· Referral questions
· You want to speak to a midwife about your appointment
· You want to change your appointment
· You want to tell us you no longer need your appointment
DO NOT call this number if you are worried about your baby, have pain or are bleeding. Call Maternity services also listed on this page.
Contacts at Mercy Hospital for Women
Outpatient Clinics
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Phone numbers:
Outpatient Clinics
03 8458 4111
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About:
Patients can call this number for appointment changes and questions. If you do not yet have an appointment, select option 1.
Health professionals can call this number for referral questions.
Antenatal – option 2
Gynaecology – option 3
Paediatrics – option 4
Lymphoedema – option 5
Imaging – option 6
Interpreting services – option 7
Other information
The Managing referrals to non-admitted specialist services in Victorian public health services policy
- Website: Access policy
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About:
The Managing referrals to non-admitted specialist services in Victorian public health services policy outlines the government’s expectations of service delivery, including indicative timeframes for the implementation of key processes relating to specialist clinics.
For Health Professionals
HealthPathways Melbourne
- Email address: [email protected]
- Website: HealthPathways Melbourne
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About:
HealthPathways Melbourne provides clinicians with a single website to access clinical and referral pathways, and resources. Pathways are created by local GPs, working in partnership with specialists, nurses, allied health and other health professionals.
Mercy Health recommends clinicians to access HealthPathways Melbourne for guidance in assessing, managing and referring for patient conditions (login required).
Referrals to outpatient clinics at Mercy Health will be triaged against clinical information and investigations based on these guidelines.
Referrals that do not meet the required clinical information and investigations will not be accepted.
HealthPathways Melbourne is available for free to health professionals working in the North Western Melbourne and Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network catchments.
Email HealthPathways to request access or if you need to confirm your username and password.
Healthlink SmartForm eReferrals
- Website: au.healthlink.net/support
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About:
HealthLink is a secure digital platform for sending referrals directly from your GP practice software (Best Practice, Genie, Medical Director and MedTech Evolution).
Practices without conformant software can register for a HealthLink Portal licence by completing the online registration form and noting in the comments/message field that you would like to use the SmartForms, then selecting the two checkboxes – (1) Receive Electronic Correspondence (free of charge) and (3) Send Electronic Smart Forms (My Aged Care, Transport for NSW, Monash Health etc).
Once HealthLink receives your completed registration application, this will be processed and the portal details will be forwarded to you.
eReferral Support Contact Information
- For GPs in the Eastern Melbourne Primary Healthcare Network region wanting to enable eReferrals (HealthLink Smartforms), please contact [email protected]or if urgent (03) 9046 0300.
- For GPs in the North Western Melbourne Primary Healthcare Network region wanting to enable eReferrals (HealthLink Smartforms), please contact HealthLink via phone: 1800 125 036 or email [email protected]
- For issues with HealthLink SmartForms, or to have this solution enabled within your clinical software system, please contact HealthLink on 1800 125 036 or [email protected].
Statewide Referral Criteria for Specialist Clinics - Victoria
- Website: Statewide Referral Criteria
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About:
The Department of Health and Human Services has developed statewide referral criteria to assist GPs and clinicians referring patients to specialist clinics. These referral criteria have been developed to improve access to specialist clinics in public hospitals by improving the quality and appropriateness of referrals.
Specialist Clinics Waitlist Audit
We regularly contact patients who are waiting for an appointment. This is called a waitlist audit.
Contacting you during the waitlist audit process helps us to:
- ensure your details are correct
- ask if you still require our specialist care
- provide advice where necessary for urgent care
If you are waiting for appointments from more than one specialty, you will receive separate communication for each.
How will we contact you?
If you have provided your mobile number, we will send you a text message.
Why do we need this information?
We need this information to ensure:
- we have your current contact details. If your details have changed, please contact the hospital to update your details.
- you still require our care
You will need to respond with ‘Yes’ if you still require our care.
You will need to respond with ‘No’ if you no longer require your appointment.
For example, if you have been treated elsewhere or if you have improved.
What happens if you do not reply?
If you do not reply to our first text message, we will send you a text message reminder. If we still do not receive a response, we will try to reach you via an alternative contact detail you have listed, including contacting your General Practitioner (GP).
What happens once I responded? If you respond with 'No'
- If you answer ‘No’ to requiring your appointment, we will remove you from our waiting list. Any future need will require a new referral from your GP.
- If you require appointments for more than one specialty, you will receive separate communication from us for each specialty. Please make sure you check the speciality before responding to the text message.
If you respond with 'Yes'
- If you say ‘Yes’ to requiring your appointment, we will contact you when we are ready to offer an appointment.
- We continue to work with our specialists to reduce your waiting time.
What happens if my condition changes or deteriorates while waiting for a specialist clinics appointment?
We recommend you contact your General Practitioner (GP).
In the case of an emergency, please attend the nearest hospital Emergency Department.
If you would like to read more on the this information please click here for more information