Useful Management Information

Minimum Referral Criteria

Category 1
  • COPD with chronic respiratory failure
  • COPD with worsening right heart failure
Category 2
  • 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%)
Category 3
  • Stable COPD for consideration for pulmonary rehabilitation or education (where community services are not available)

If your patient doesn't meet the minimum referral criteria

  • If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested:
    • Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
  • Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service

Essential Referral Information

  • Duration and severity of symptoms including impact on ADLs
  • Current and previous treatment and efficacy
  • Comorbidities
  • Smoking / occupational history
  • Spirometry (if available)
  • Chest X-Ray (within last 12 months)

If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a Clinical Override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.

Additional Referral Information

  • History of childhood/adolescent lung disease
  • SaO2 or ABG
  • Vaccination status
  • FBC
  • ELFT
  • Respiratory function tests
  • Exercise oximetry
Published 12 May 2021

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Not available

Internal Referrals

Not available

Fax

Not available

Post

Not Available

Enquiries

Not available

Service Availability

Facilities

Gold Coast University Hospital
Robina Hospital

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

Gold Coast Health - For Clinicians
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