Endoscopy

Conditions

Emergency referrals

All urgent cases must be discussed with the on call Surgical Registrar to obtain appropriate prioritisation and treatment. Contact through:

{hospitals}

Urgent cases accepted via phone must be accompanied with a written referral and a copy faxed immediately to the Central Patient Intake Unit: 1300 364 952.

If any of the following are present or suspected arrange immediate transfer to the emergency department.

  • Potentially life-threatening symptoms suggestive of:
    • acute upper GI tract bleeding (bright red blood, PR bleeding, melena, hematemesis)
    • acute severe lower GI tract bleeding
  • Oesophageal foreign bodies/food bolus
  • Displaced gastrostomy tube

  • Potentially life-threatening symptoms suggestive of:
    • acute severe colitis*
    • bowel obstruction
    • abdominal sepsis
  • Severe vomiting and/or diarrhea with dehydration
  • Acute severe colitis as defined by the Truelove and Witts criteria – all patients with ≥ 6 bloody bowel motions per 24 hours plus at least one of the following:
    • Temperature at presentation of > 37.8°C,
    • Pulse rate at presentation of > 90 bpm,
    • Haemoglobin at presentation of < 105 gm/l, CRP >20mg/dl at presentation (or ESR > 30 mm/hr)

Scope of service

Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all conditions for outpatient services and does not exclude consideration for referral unless specifically stipulated in the CPC exclusions section.

  • Colonoscopy
  • Upper GI Endoscopy

Out of scope services

The following are not routinely provided in a public Endoscopy service.

  • If a patient who has been fully investigated 2 years prior to referral.  Then the referrer and the receiving clinician will need to exercise clinical decision making in triaging and or value in repeat endoscopy / colonoscopy procedures.

Metro North Endoscopy guidelines cover requests for Upper and Lower GI endoscopy. These referral requests cover open access endoscopy.

All referrals are reviewed by the Gastroenterology Referral Hub and sent to either Gastroenterology or General Surgery to a facility closest and most appropriate for the referred condition. If the referrer wishes the referral to go to a specific service this should be stated in the referral.

Send referral

Hotline: 1300 364 938

Fax: 1300 364 952

Electronic: eReferral system

Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776  Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034

Health pathways

Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.

For login details email:
healthpathways@brisbanenorthphn.org.au

Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.healthpathwayscommunity.org

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