Shoulder and elbow conditions
Emergency referrals
All urgent cases must be discussed with the on call Registrar to obtain appropriate prioritisation and treatment. Contact through:
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (07) 3646 8111
- The Prince Charles Hospital (07) 3139 4000
- Redcliffe Hospital (07) 3883 7777
- Caboolture Hospital (07) 5433 8888
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.
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- Refer directly to emergency if:
- clinically indicated e.g. suspected septic arthritis
- evidence of acute inflammation, e.g:
- haemarthrosis
- tense effusion
- Suspicion of malignancy
- First episode of shoulder dislocation in all patients >40 years old
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- First episode of shoulder dislocation in a patient <25 years old
- Recurrent dislocated shoulder/shoulder instability
- Instability associated with structural pathology in a patient <40 years old e.g. SLAP lesion, large Bankart lesion
- History of trauma suggests acute event / tear (rather than degenerative) rotator cuff tear
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- Functional impairment and/or pain of shoulder/elbow and failed maximal medical management
- AC joint conditions
- Chronic weakness and degenerative rotator cuff
- Rotator cuff tendinopathy
- sub-acromial impingement
- Pain/stiffness in elbow not responding to maximal medical management
- Elbow tendonitis
- Shoulder adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)
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
Other important information for referring practitioners
Not an exhaustive list
Management
- Analgesia/NSAIDs as appropriate
- Physiotherapy
- Activity modification
- Advice to avoid dislocation (recurrent)
- Shoulder rehabilitation program
- Chronic disease requires to be optimized prior to referral or the patients may not proceed to surgery
- Consider corticosteroid injection for:
- rotator cuff tendinopathy
- AC joint pain
- frozen shoulder where pain predominates (early stages)
- shoulder OA if patient is unwilling/unsuitable for surgical management
- sub-acromial impingement
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
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
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