Referral to emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

  • nil

For urgent referrals and/or clinical advice.

Dementia Support Australia Hotline

Central Adelaide Local Health Network 

Northern Adelaide Local Health Network

Southern Adelaide Local Health Network


Exclusions

Triage categories

Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)

  • people aged greater than 65 years at high risk of hospital admission with one or more of the following:
    • multiple complex medical problems
    • progressive frailty and functional decline
    • polypharmacy with associated adverse effects or concerns of drug interactions, minimum of 5 prescribed medications
  • people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander aged less than 50 years at high risk of hospital admission with one or more of the following:
    • multiple complex medical problems
    • progressive frailty and functional decline
    • polypharmacy with associated adverse effects or concerns of drug interactions, minimum of 5 prescribed medications

Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)

  • people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander aged greater than 50 years at low/moderate risk of hospital admission, requiring geriatric assessment with one or more of the following:
    • multiple complex medical problems
    • progressive frailty and functional decline
    • polypharmacy without associated adverse effects or concerns of drug interactions, minimum of 5 prescribed medications
  • people aged greater than 65 years at low/moderate risk of hospital admission, requiring geriatric assessment with one or more of the following:
    • multiple complex medical problems
    • progressive frailty and functional decline
    • polypharmacy without associated adverse effects or concerns of drug interactions, minimum of 5 prescribed medications

Category 3 (appointment clinically indicated within 365 days)

  • people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander aged greater than 50 years for geriatric assessment
  • people aged greater than 65 years for geriatric assessment

For more on outpatient referrals, see the general referral information page.

Essential referral information

Completion required before first appointment to ensure patients are ready for care. Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.

  • identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • relevant social history, including identifying if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
  • interpreter requirements
  • under the custody or guardianship 
  • care-giver or third-party contact details, if patient consenting
  • advanced care directives status
  • age
  • past medical/surgical/psychosocial history
  • current medications and dosages, including:
    • over the counter medications and complementary medicines, and indications
    • flag specific drugs causing concern
    • medication adherence
    • use of any medication administration aids
    • home medicines review or residential medication management review
    • adverse reactions or medication-related hospitalisations
    • use of any medication administration aids
    • history of attempts to wean or cease specific medications
  • allergies and sensitivities
  • use/ frequency of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
  • presenting symptoms including,
    • onset, triggers and progression
    • functional impact on quality of life
    • treatments trialled/implemented prior to referral
  • management history including:
    • allied health assessment reports
    • family/informal supports and frequency of visits
    • National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) / My Aged Care service providers and frequency of visits
  • cognitive assessment
  • depression screening score
  • height/weight
  • body mass index (BMI)
  • blood pressure
  • pathology:
    • complete blood examination (CBE)
    • urea, electrolyte, and creatinine (UEC)
    • liver function test (LFT)
    • mid-stream urine specimen (MSU)
  • relevant diagnostic/imaging reports including location of company and accession number

Additional information to assist triage categorisation

  • copy advance care directives
  • driver’s licence status
  • list of all clinicians involved in prescribing medications and contact information

Clinical management advice

People residing in high-level aged care facilities may be directed to Local Health Network (LHN) community in-reach teams for assessment at their residence where appropriate.

If polypharmacy, or drug interaction is suspected, consider referring for a home medicines review/residential medication management review.

Elderly patients may experience diminished appetite, dental issues, swallowing difficulties, and chronic medical conditions, all of which can contribute to malnutrition. Allied health professionals, including dietitians, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists, are essential in assessing and managing these complexities. They collaborate to develop tailored nutrition plans, improve oral health, facilitate safe swallowing, improve safety barriers within the home, and enhance mobility, ultimately promoting better nutritional outcomes and overall quality of life. Allied health involvement should be considered in conjunction to referrals for specialist medical assessment.

Outpatient services are not meant to substitute for care and assistance available through other health programs that elderly patients might qualify for, such as services provided by My Aged Care or the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Clinical resources

Consumer resources