Referral information

Urgent opinions and referrals

For urgent opinion and referrals, contact the on-call renal registrar via the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) switchboard: (08) 7074 0000.

An on-call Consultant is also available.

Please contact the renal registrar or on-call Consultant prior to sending your patient to ED, to facilitate the most appropriate course of action and service*

For urgent enquiries about Medications, contact the renal pharmacist via the RAH switchboard on 7074 0000 and request speed dial 81006.

*Note: The RAH and Lyell McEwin provide acute inpatient dialysis services, other sites provide outpatient dialysis service only. If your patient is on dialysis or in likely need of dialysis, please discuss with the renal registrar or on-call Consultant.

  • Urgent referrals are triaged and seen the same day or as soon as possible
  • Non-urgent referrals are rapidly triaged and seen as soon as possible
  • All patients have a lead primary nephrologist for continuity of care
  • Private consultations (Medicare bulk billed) are provided at all locations. Please note: A current referral to a named specialist is required
  • Patients are triaged on clinical need and may be seen by another specialist to expedite treatment.

Please note:

  • Country and outer metropolitan clinics are generally for review patients only owing to capacity. Initial appointments are usually conducted in RAH or TQEH or Hampstead Renal Dialysis Unit.
  • Telehealth is available for some consultations.
  • Referrals for Lyell McEwin Hospital, Modbury Hospital and Broken Hill consultation should be faxed directly to the hospital outpatients Departments:
    Lyell McEwin Hospital Fax: 8182 9499 | Enquiries: 8182 9966
    Modbury Hospital Fax: 8161 2591 | Enquiries: 8161 2262
    Broken Hill Fax: 08 8087 3689

Information required for referral triage

  • Reason for patient referral – Please indicate urgency
  • All recent and past kidney function tests; CBE, CRP, LFT, urine tests (protein and urine microscopy if blood and protein present); and x-rays (renal tract ultrasound & other imaging)
  • Past Medical History: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension (include historical blood pressure readings), medical comorbidities, family history, previous medical reactions and allergies
  • Current medication list
  • If an interpreter is required

Guidelines for referral priority rating - urgency

Immediate / Emergency

Contact the on-call Renal Registrar via (08) 7074 0000

  • Renal emergencies with threat to major organs
  • Acute kidney disease
  • Advanced kidney failure; chronic or acute

Urgent priority

Contact the on-call Renal Registrar via (08) 7074 0000 to clarify prioritisation

  • Severe / life-threatening hypertension
  • Acute kidney failure / new onset advanced kidney failure
  • Suspected glomerulonephritis, vasculitis or other rapidly progressing immune condition
  • New onset heavy proteinuria
  • Oliguria or Anuria

Intermediate and non-urgent priority

For guidance regarding referral to tertiary services refer to the table below, an excerpt from the Kidney Health Australia

 

Indications for referral to a nephrologist

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Non-urgent referrals

Note: referral email address delivers to a secure (un-encrypted) password protected SA Health server. 

For Lyell McEwin Hospital consultations, post referral to LMH OPD Area 1 – Ground Floor; or Fax: 8182 9499. Enquiries: 8182 9966.

For Modbury Hospital consultations, post referral to OPD Area 2&3 – Ground Floor MH or Fax: 8161 2591. Enquiries: 8161 2262.

For Broken Hill consultations email referral to: FWLHD-OutpatientServices@health.nsw.gov.au or fax to: 08 8087 3689

Referral forms

General enquiries: