Connective Tissue Disease - SLE, Scleroderma, MCTD, Sjogren’s Syndrome and undifferentiated or overlap CTDs

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Useful Management Information

Early discussion with Rheumatologist will aid prioritisation, if the patient is unwell and may need to be seen urgently.

Patient resources

Support Services and information Arthritis Queensland
Patient Information Sheet on Scleroderma 🌍
Patient Information Sheet on Sjogren’s Syndrome
Patient Information Sheet on SLE/ Lupus

Minimum Referral Criteria

Category 1	Acute or active organ threatening Connective Tissue Disease
Category 2	Connective Tissue Disease on established treatment and stable Likely Connective Tissue Disease requiring assessment and management
Category 3	Connective Tissue Disease for exclusion with minimal symptoms
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.

Standard Referral Information

Reason for request

To establish a diagnosis
For treatment or intervention
For advice and management
For specialist to take over management
Reassurance for GP/second opinion
For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
Reassurance for the patient/family
For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

Relevant clinical information about the condition

Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
Physical findings
Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
All conservative options that have been pursued unsuccessfully prior to referral
Body mass index (BMI)
Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes, BMI), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
Any special care requirements where relevant (e.g tracheostomy in place, oxygen required)
Current medications and dosages
Drug allergies
Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

Patient's Demographic Details

Full name (including aliases)
Date and country of birth
Residential and postal address including whether patient resides at an aged care facility
Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
Medicare number (where eligible)
Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
Name of delegate and contact details (Department of Corrective Services)
Preferred language and interpreter requirements
Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Any special needs, access requirements and/or disability relevant to the referral

Referring Practitioner Details

Full name
Full address
Contact details – telephone, fax, email
Provider number
Date of referral
Signature
Nominated general practitioner’s details (if known), if the nominated general practitioner is different from the referring practitioner

Other relevant information

Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)

Essential Referral Information

Relevant history, of onset and time since onset
Specify symptoms including joints/muscles, ulcers, raynaud’s, alopecia, skin rashes or ulceration, dysphagia or GORD, sicca symptoms
Extra-articular manifestations including kidney, lungs, cardiac, neurological
FBC
E/LFT
CRP
ESR
Rheumatoid Factor or anti-CCP
ANA, ENA, dsDNA, C3, C4, CK
Urine analysis for MCS, casts and protein

If a specific test result cannot 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

Skin biopsy histology
Imaging results

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Coming Soon

Internal Referrals

Rheumatology (E-blueslips)

Fax

5687 2496

Post

Cancer Referral Centre
Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215

Enquiries

5687 2708

Service Availability

Facilities

Gold Coast University 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.