Liver Service Pathways for SALHN

The Liver Pathway provides support relating to Chronic Liver Disease, Viral Hepatitis, Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC – Liver Cancer), and Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease.

Chronic Liver Disease

This program works alongside community and other key health providers to maximise patient health and wellbeing outcomes, providing early intervention to prevent hospital attendance.

The Liver Failure Program also provides a screening and surveillance program for patients with decompensated liver disease who are not well enough to be cared for by their GP. For patients with stable (compensated) liver disease, the program also provides a community clinic based at GP Plus sites to review patients annually.

Viral Hepatitis Assessment Treatment and Case Management

Nurse consultants facilitate the coordination of patient care between primary care physicians and hospital-based specialists. We provide patient-centred, holistic, safe, cost-effective, culturally and geographically accessible services to all people affected by chronic Hepatitis B and C within SALHN. This includes targeted prevention programs.

Our key priority areas include expansion of access to effective treatments and expansion of targeted prevention programs, focusing on the main populations affected by Hepatitis B and C within SALHN.

Mount Gambier Visiting Liver Nursing Service

The Flinders Medical Centre Liver Nursing Service visits Mount Gambier Hospital in February, May, August and November each year. The service provides the following:

  • Hepatitis B assessment and management
  • Hepatitis C assessment, treatment and management
  • Review of chronic liver disease
  • FibroScan for fibrosis assessment

Hepatocellular Carcinoma Coordination (HCC – Liver Cancer)

The HCC Nurse Coordinator (NC) provides patients, carers, and the primary and tertiary treating team with a central point of contact. The HCC NC plays a critical role in patient treatment, education and symptom management, linking patients with support services and assisting patient choices around their treatments and healthcare.

Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)

MAFLD affects 30% of the population and represents a high number of referrals to our service. Most referrals are best managed holistically in primary care. Please see the Outpatient GP referral guidelines for more information.

We have developed a pathway to identify patients best managed in primary care. A nurse coordinator triages patients according to this pathway and communicates an appropriate management plan to the referring physician and to the patient.

MALFD Consumer health information

Clinical Trials Unit

FMC has been conducting clinical research in hepatology since 2010 with extensive experience in Phase II to IV studies. We have a dedicated research team with experience in a variety of novel agents for a range of hepatology conditions:

  • Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD)
  • Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)
  • Hepatic encephalopathy (HE)
  • Alcoholic Hepatitis
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)

Community Liver Nurse Clinic Sites

Referrals

Liver/Hepatology Clinic
Phone: (08) 8204 5555
Internal referrals can be emailed to Healthfmcchronicliver@sa.gov.au.

Chronic Liver Disease
Phone: 0466 792 661  or 0466 777 873

Hepatitis Liaison
Phone: 0466 777 876

Viral Hepatitis Case Management
Phone: 0466 777 873 or 0466 777 876

Mount Gambier Visiting Nurse Service
Phone: 0466 777 876

HCC Coordinator Enquiries
Phone: 0466 792 661

MAFLD Pathway queries
Phone: 0466 777 876