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Lipids

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

  • Total triglyceride > 11.3mmol/L in patient having had episode of pancreatitis

Category 2

Appointment within 90 days is desirable

The following conditions not responsive to maximal tolerated therapy or statin intolerance

  • Patients with prior ACS, polyvascular disease and rapidly progressive CVD* and
      • LDL>2.6mmol/L despite (or intolerance to) medical therapy or DLNC Score > 6 (i.e., likely heterozygous family history)

*2nd or 3rd CV event despite appropriate therapy and compliance
** These conditions could be seen by Cardiology or General Medicine where appropriate

Category 3

Appointment within 365 days is desirable

  • Hypertriglyceridemia (≤11.3 mmol/L)
  • Significantly raised LDL (> 4 mmol/L) in high CVD risk patients despite initial medical therapy*
  • Difficult to control LDL (> 3.3 mmol/L) in CHD patients with familial hypercholesterolemia*
  • Severe mixed dyslipidaemia (TC and TG totalling more than 10 mmol/L)*
  • Young patients with dyslipidaemia with a family history of premature CAD or possible FH (DLNC 4-6)*
  • Severely elevated Lp(a) >72 nmol/L in patients with an early FH of CVD*

*These conditions could be seen by Cardiology or General Medicine where appropriate

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

Referral requirements

A referral may be rejected without the following information.

Essential Referral Information

  • Cholesterol/ triglyceride/ HDL-cholesterol/ LDL-cholesterol
  • TSH, ELFT, CK, HbA1c random urine albumin/creatinine ratio

Additional Referral Information (Useful for processing the referral)

  • History of medications used to treat the lipid disorder
  • History of cardiovascular disease
  • History of pancreatitis
  • Any imaging confirming presence of cardiovascular disease
  • Coronary artery calcium score

Out of catchment

Metro North Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary care or services that are not provided by their local Hospital and Health Service. If your patient lives outside the Metro North Health area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.

  • Impact on employment
  • Impact on education
  • Impact on home
  • Impact on activities of daily living
  • Impact on ability to care for others
  • Impact on personal frailty or safety
  • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

  • To establish a diagnosis
  • For treatment or intervention
  • For advice and management
  • For specialist to take over management
  • Reassurance for GP/second opinion
  • For a specified test/investigation the GP can’t order, or the patient can’t afford or access
  • Reassurance for the patient/family
  • For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
  • Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

  • Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
  • Physical findings
  • Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
  • Body mass index (BMI)
  • Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
  • Current medications and dosages
  • Drug allergies
  • Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

  • Full name (including aliases)
  • Date of birth
  • Residential and postal address
  • Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
  • Medicare number (where eligible)
  • Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
  • Preferred language and interpreter requirements
  • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

  • Full name
  • Full address
  • Contact details – telephone, fax, email
  • Provider number
  • Date of referral
  • Signature

  • Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
  • Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
  • Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)
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