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Hearing Loss – Cochlear Implants

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

  • Cochlear Implant candidate following meningitis
  • Cochlear Implant candidate with significant visual impairment

Category 2

Appointment within 90 days is desirable

  • Bilateral severe to profound hearing loss and any of the following:
    • poor speech discrimination
    • does not receive adequate benefit from hearing aids
    • for consideration of cochlear implant

Category 3

Appointment within 365 days is desirable

  • No category 3 criteria

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

Not an exhaustive list

  • Cochlear Implantation and/or programming services are not available at all locations
  • Refer to Health pathways or local guidelines
  • Meningitis – there is a very high risk of ossification of cochlear structures (labyrinthitis ossificans) post bacterial meningitis (particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae), which can occur rapidly, and inhibit cochlear surgery. Any patient identified with significant hearing loss post-infection, should be referred to ENT urgently for radiological assessment and consideration of cochlear implantation. The association between viral meningitis and hearing loss is less clear.
  • Please note that a referral to both Audiology and ENT are required for cochlear implant candidacy assessment (indefinite GP referral to ENT preferred).
  • Cochlear implantation will only be considered after an assessment by a multidisciplinary team. As part of the assessment adults should also have had a valid trial of an acoustic hearing aid for at least 3 months (unless contraindicated or inappropriate).
  • For adults, the QLD Public Health system is currently funded to provide unilateral cochlear implants to adults with bilateral severe/profound sensorineural hearing loss. Adults with single sided deafness should be referred for assessment via private Audiology / ENT services.

Referral requirements

A referral may be rejected without the following information.

Essential referral information

  • History and aetiology of hearing loss
  • Details of vision impairment (if applicable)
  • Hearing aid
  • Previous audiogram(s)

Additional Referral Information (Useful for processing the referral)

  • MRI (brain/ cranial nerves) or CT (Temporal Bones) if performed
  • Results of investigations
  • Relevant comorbidities, disabilities

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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