Referral information for GPs

Please provide a 12 month or indefinite referral (whichever you prefer) to a named specialist. This is because most of our clinics are MBS funded services, so patients are bulk billed with no 'out of pocket' cost. Your patient will be triaged and seen by a doctor in the appropriate specialty.

Download a Cancer Registration template and fax it to us at 8738 5299 with a referral. Do not open practice software templates in Microsoft Word as it will corrupt the file.

Download New Registration Form	Best Practice	Medical Director
Instructions on Importing Templates:		Best Practice	Medical Director

Your patient may be internally referred to another department (eg Radiation Oncology). In this case your patient will be asked to return to you for an indefinite or 12 month referral. This is because an internal referral (i.e. specialist to specialist) only lasts 3 months, and treatments can be longer than this. It also ensures that you are listed as the referring doctor, and will receive important information about the patient's progress.

The patient is still given the choice to go publicly or privately (MBS bulk-billed) at their initial visit. Each option is explained to them and most choose to go privately. If there is a named specialist on the referral the patient can still elect to go publicly. However if they elect to go privately and there is no named specialist, as stated above, a further referral will be required.

Wherever possible, we will try to provide an appointment with your requested clinician, however, certain circumstances may necessitate an alternative clinician being arranged.
General referral guidelines.

By providing the following readily-available patient data on the new registration form, we can maximize the time with each patient

Name of Specialist that you are referring to
Patient's full name
- Address
- Telephone number
- Date of birth
- Medicare number
- Interpreter required and language spoken
Specific diagnosis and/or clinical reason for referral (e.g. severity, duration, physical finding)
Relevant investigations, including previous treatment and investigations, x-rays, ultrasound's, endoscopy findings, blood tests, bone density, etc. (copy results and films if appropriate, hard copy of diagnostic imaging to be sent in with patient)
Relevant medical history
Current medications and drug allergies, e.g. previous adverse response
Your provider number and referring clinician details +/- practice stamp.

Please refer to SWSPHN HealthPathways for guidance in assessing, managing and referring for patient conditions.