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.
- acutely unwell children or those with purpura not typical for Henoch-Schonlein purpura
- acute organ failure
- renal crisis, severe intractable abdominal pain
Please contact the on-call registrar to discuss your concerns prior to referral.
For clinical advice, please telephone the relevant metropolitan Local Health Network switchboard and ask to speak to the relevant specialty service.
Women's and Children's Health Network
- Women’s and Children’s Hospital (08) 8161 7000
Exclusions
- Henoch Scholein Purpura and Kawasaki disease do not usually require rheumatological review unless severe disease, significant multi-organ involvement or refractory to standard therapy
Triage categories
Category 1 (appointment clinically indicated within 30 days)
- all patients with suspected vasculitis except for Henoch-Schonlein purpura and Kawasaki
Category 2 (appointment clinically indicated within 90 days)
- patients with morphea — relevant for connective tissue when combined
Category 3 (appointment clinically indicated within 365 days)
- nil
For information on referral forms and how to import them, please view general referral information.
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
- identify within your referral if you feel your patient is from a vulnerable population, under guardianship/out-of-home care arrangements and/or requires a third party to receive correspondence on their behalf
- interpreter required
History of presenting complaint
- duration and frequency of symptoms
- pattern of pain including overnight waking with pain, morning pain, pain with exercise, early morning stiffness
- aggravating and relieving factors
- treatments used/sought so far including response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), physiotherapy or any other treatments
- symptoms including pupuric rash, nephritis, lung or ear nose and throat (ENT) involvement, fever, constitutional features such as weight loss
Examination findings
- blood pressure
- vasculitic rashes
- evidence of lymphadenopathy
- organomegaly
Additional information to assist triage categorisation
- relevant laboratory/imaging reports including location of company and accession number if available