Required information
In order for us to be able to accept your patient for review and treatment, referring GP’s/Medical Specialists are required to provide the following detail in your referral.
We are receiving eReferrals via HealthLink SmartForms. Please see our Refer a patient page for more information.
Essential information
- full name
- address
- date of birth
- BMI
- Indigenous status
- referring GP details
- health Insurance
- preferred language and interpreter requirements
- Medicare number
- mobility needs.
Clinical information
- clinic specialty
- reason for referral
- duration of symptoms
- examination findings
- comorbidities
- relevant past history
- current medications
- past surgery.
Investigations and results
- CT/medical imaging
- MRI
- ultrasound
- pathology.
Referral process
Please select the HealthLink SmartForm eReferral for Surgical Clinic, or alternaticely fax the paper downloadable referral form to the Outpatient Department on 03 8754 6710.
Step 1
Essential referral content will be checked. You will be contacted if further information is required.
Acknowledgement of referral receipt will occur within eight working days.
Step 2
The referral will be triaged by the specialist
unit according to clinical urgency.
This determines how long the patient will have to wait for an appointment.
Step 3
Patients with urgent conditions are scheduled to be seen within 30 days.
Patients with routine conditions are given the next available appointment according to
clinical need.
Both the referrer and patient are notified.
Immediate assessment criteria
Immediate assessment or admission criteria (not an exhaustive list)
Referrals to this service are assessed against the Statewide Referral Criteria. Please utilise HealthPathways to assist in making the referral. Referrals which do not meet the Statewide Referral Criteria will be declined.
Step 1: Check criteria for immediate assessment or admission.
- Cauda Equina
- cervical myelopathy
- septic arthritis
- bone or joint infection
- suspected infection or sudden pain in arthroplasty
- suspected NOF (please refer to tertiary hospital).
Step 2: Contact the Emergency Department Admitting Officer (AO) via the switchboard: 03 8754 3000.
Step 3: Follow up your phone call by faxing a referral to the emergency department including all relevant investigations to the number the AO provides.
Reason and Required Investigations (essential with referral)
Shoulder
Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
- x-rays (AP and Lateral shoulder).
Pain / Stiffness in shoulder including frozen shoulder
- ultrasound scan
AC Joint problems
- consider FBE, ESR & CRP
Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder Instability
Elbow
Tennis / Golfer’s Elbow
- consider FBE, ESR & CRP if inflammation suspected
Elbow Painful / Stiffness / Locking
Wrist and Hand
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Stenosing Tenosynovitis (trigger finger & De Quervain’s)
Basal Thumb Arthritis
- X-rays (AP and Lateral)
Ganglia
Painful / Stiff Wrists
- X-rays (AP and lateral wrist)
consider FBE, ESR & CRP if inflammation suspected
Additional information
Exclusion Criteria: Orthapaedic Clinics
The following Orthopedic conditions are not routinely seen at Werribee Mercy Hospital:
- patients that are being treated for the same condition at another Victorian Public Hospital
- patients with back pain or sciatica, neck pain or Spinal Stenosis
Contacts
In case of emergency, call 000
Outpatient Clinics - Medical/Surgical
-
Phone numbers:
Outpatient Clinics - Medical/Surgical
03 8754 6700
- Phone number: 03 8754 6710
- Website: Outpatient access
-
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
For Health Professionals
HealthPathways Melbourne
- Email address: [email protected]
- Website: HealthPathways Melbourne
-
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
-
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 free 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
-
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.
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