Unintentional weight loss

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.

Unintentional weight loss

  • Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism with risk of thyroid storm
  • Vomiting, dysphagia or odynophagia suggesting oesophageal or gastric outlet obstruction
  • Associated severe electrolyte abnormalities (K+ <3.0 mmol/L, corrected Ca+ <1.6 or >3.0 mmol/L, Mg+ <0.4 mmol/L, PO4- <0.4mmol/L)

Other

  • Any condition defined by other CPCs as requiring referral to emergency
Useful Management Information
Minimum Referral Criteria

Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?

Category 1
(appointment within 30 calendar days)

  • Significant weight loss (≥10% of body weight in previous 6 months) without anaemia*
  • Clinical features or test results suggestive of disseminated malignancy
  • Marked cachexia or malnutrition (BMI <15)*
  • Suspected malabsorption syndromes
  • Post-prandial angina
  • Uncontrolled anxiety or depression or pain syndromes causing marked loss of appetite.

* Suspected or confirmed eating disorders should be managed in accordance with the Queensland Eating Disorder Service A guide to admission and inpatient treatment for people with eating disorders in Queensland

Category 2
(appointment within 90 calendar days)
  • Unexplained weight loss (5-10% of body weight in previous 6 months)*

* Suspected or confirmed eating disorders should be managed in accordance with the Queensland Eating Disorder Service A guide to admission and inpatient treatment for people with eating disorders in Queensland

Category 3
(appointment within 365 calendar days)
  • No category 3 criteria

If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria

  • Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis
  • If you still need to refer your patient:
    • 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

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

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

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

Clinical modifiers

  • Impact on employment
  • Impact on education
  • Impact on home
  • Impact on activities of daily living functioning – low/medium/high
  • Impact on ability to care for others
  • Impact on personal frailty or safety
  • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

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

Without this information the referral will be rejected

  • General referral information
  • Relevant medical history and co-morbidities
  • Full list of current medications including non-prescription medications
  • Weight, height and BMI
  • Exact weight loss and time period of loss
  • Any associated symptoms (e.g. cough, abdominal pain, change in bowel habits)
  • Alcohol and drug history (including smoking)
  • Assessment of mood and social situation (depression is a common cause of weight loss)
  • Appetite and recent dietary changes
  • FBC, ELFT, ESR/CRP, TSH, iron studies, vitamin B12 & folate results
  • Antitransglutaminase antibodies for coeliac disease in younger patients (aged < 40 years old) with associated iron deficiency
Additional Referral Information
  • HbA1c results (if diabetic)
  • CXR (if indicated)
  • Food intolerances or avoidances and abnormal eating behaviours
  • Gastrointestinal or oral symptoms especially dysphagia, diarrhoea, gum disease, poor dentition, loss of taste
Clinical Override

Clinical override of referral criteria may be requested in the following situations:

  • Inability to include essential referral information. If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons.
  • Patient does not meet minimum referral criteria. If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes that the patient requires specialist review.
  • Presence of clinical modifiers. The presence of clinical modifiers (as listed above in Standard referral information) may impact on the categorisation of a patient.

Include the reason for request for clinical override as part of the referral. Referrals are reviewed by the triaging specialist who determines the most appropriate course of action.

Out of catchment

West Moreton Health is responsible for providing a public health service to people who reside within its catchment area. To appropriately manage demand for service we do not accept referrals from outside this catchment area. If your patient does live outside the West Moreton Health area and it is deemed socially or clinically necessary for their care to be received in the West Moreton Health Service, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and/or social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.

Feedback

To provide feedback about contents on this website or general referral questions please email WM-CPC@health.qld.gov.au or phone 3413 7402.