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Hepatobiliary surgery


+ Emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

  • Suspected strangulated/incarcerated or obstruction of any hernia
  • Acute, severe abdominal pain with or without associated sepsis
  • New onset of obstructive jaundice
  • Acute painful perianal conditions
  • Acute cholecystitis
  • Gallstones with symptoms of cholangitis
  • Acute pancreatitis
  • Bowel obstruction
  • Severe per rectum bleeding
  • Acute abscess at any site
  • Acute testicular pain

+ Other management information

  • Lifestyle modification (increased activity, dietary, weight, smoking, alcohol)
  • Referral is not mandatory for patient with asymptomatic gallstones or gall bladder polyps on ultrasound if < 10mm
  • Short attacks of biliary colic can be managed symptomatically
  • Gallstones, points for concern:

increasing frequency and severity of pain

documented jaundice or deranged LFTs

USS evidence of duct dilatation

  • If known to have common bile duct stones refer as Cat 1
  • If obstructive jaundice and fever - refer to emergency

+ Minimum referral criteria - Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?

+ Standard referral information To be included in all referrals

 

Essential referral information

Without this information the referral will be rejected
  • General referral information
  • History including:
    • timeline of current symptoms and previous symptoms
    • number of attacks and pain severity
    • jaundice, anaemia
    • abdominal examination (abdominal mass, palpable gall bladder)
  • FBC ELFT results
  • Serum lipase is performed, especially relevant if performed at the time of an attack of pain
  • Abdominal USS/CT result (USS is required for Gallstone Disease)

+ Additional referral information for referrals

  • HBV HCV serology results


Last updated: Monday, August 13, 2018

Send referrals to


Secure messaging:
Secure web transfer IQ43050005G

General Fax:
3810 1438

Priority Fax for urgent category 1 referrals:
3413 7277

Post:
Outpatients Referrals Centre
PO Box 73, Ipswich
Queensland, 4305

Patient Enquiries:
3810 1217

GP/Specialist Referral Enquiry:
3810 1869 or 3810 1858


Named referrals

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist on the referral template, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient.

From July 1 2017 Commonwealth growth funding has been capped. This changes how WMHS can fund its growth as an organisation. Named referrals from GP’s help support hospital funding through a Medicare bulk-billing arrangement. The new federal funding model incorporates specific pricing for patients which removes concerns around ‘double dipping'. This benefits hospital and patient services.


Patient must bring

  • Medicare card
  • Any concession cards (e.g. Pension, Health Care, DVA, PBS Safety Net, ADF, etc)