New statewide referral criteria for select respiratory conditions and sleep disorders come into effect from 1 November 2024 in all Victorian public hospitals.
When a referring GP successfully uses the new respiratory criteria to refer a patient to a public hospital, patients can be triaged more accurately and be placed directly onto the appropriate specialist clinic’s waitlist without delay.
The referral information encourages multidisciplinary assessments to support medical care and, when required, appropriate direction to specialist treatment through the statewide referral criteria. This is why more information is needed in referrals – to support better access for patients.
The Victorian Department of Health has developed and published statewide specialist referral criteria for a further five respiratory conditions and adult sleep disorders. The respiratory suite is among 16 suites of specialist referral criteria already in existence across Victoria.
Respiratory conditions
This suite also includes adult public sleep disorders. Public sleep specialist services are offered by Alfred Health, Austin Health, Eastern Health, Monash Health, St Vincent’s Health, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Western Health. Providers are encouraged to check HealthPathways or their local pathways website when making referrals in regions outside the coverage of the services above. This will be the quickest way to understand their local public hospital’s requirements. It is also a helpful way to troubleshoot management of these conditions when a referral to specialist clinics is not indicated.
Statewide referral criteria provide referring clinicians clear and consistent guidance about which patients can be seen in public specialist clinics across Victoria and what investigations are necessary to support accurate prioritisation of referrals.