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In this Section:
Patient referrals
We prefer to receive electronic referrals from GPs. If you're not set up for eReferrals you can fax a Specialist Clinics GP Referral form to 03 9496 2097. We do not accept referrals by email.
If you have questions then please contact the GP Priority Line on (03) 9496 2900.
About eReferrals
The HealthLink eReferral Solution allows you to submit pre-populated eReferrals directly into our Patient Administration System.
- You can refer to all specialist clinics.
- It's free - there's no cost to your practice.
- Important patient health information is pre-populated into the eReferral, reducing the requirement for typing and collating information.
- Attachments can be sent with the eReferral, such as pathology and radiology results.
- You'll receive notification that we've received your eReferral in real-time.
HealthLink SmartForms are available with leading GP clinical software vendors. View the step-by-step guides on how to set up eReferrals:
- Medical Director: Youtube guide / user guide
- Best Practice: Youtube guide / user guide
- Genie: Youtube guide / user guide
- MedTech Evolution: Youtube guide
For more support read the HealthLink SmartForms fact sheet.
Assistance with eReferrals
- For help with HealthLink SmartForms, or to have the solution enabled within your clinical software system, call HealthLink on 1800 125 036 or email helpdesk@healthlink.net.
- Call Eastern Melbourne PHN on 03 9046 0355 or email digitalhealth@emphn.org.au or speak to your local PHN.
Referral status
Accepted referrals will be triaged as ‘urgent' or ‘routine':
- For urgent referrals, specialist clinics will contact the patient to make an appointment for within 30 days.
- For routine referrals, specialist clinics will send a letter to the referrer and the patient detailing the next steps.
Where a referral is incomplete or declined, specialist clinics will send a letter to the referrer (and the patient in the case of a declined referral) notifying them of this.
Clinic referral guidelines and forms
Links to these guidelines can be found below. Austin Health referral guidelines will also be published to Health Pathways Melbourne.
Specialist Clinics Funding FAQ
How will patient care be funded?
The Victorian government provides capped funding to support the delivery of non-admitted care.
Where possible, Austin also accesses Medicare funding in order to supplement limited funding provided by the Victorian government. Medical staff are generally employed under Rights of Private Practice agreements which enable them to see patients in the public facility and allocate funding back to the hospital.
For each consult/service, eligibility for Medicare funding is assessed and the appropriate funding source allocated.
Each service can only be funded through a single source.
No cost will be incurred by the patient for Specialist Clinics consultations.
Who will see the patient?
Patients referred to Austin Health are likely to be seen by a multidisciplinary team which could include a range of specialties and other specialists, nursing and allied health practitioners.
What are the referral requirements?
Please provide any relevant clinical information required in order for us to rapidly prioritize patients and allocate them to the correct service. This includes provision of diagnostic results. Please refer to clinic referral guidelines outlined on the Austin Health website
In addition, please include information sufficient to meet Medicare-funding eligibility requirements, as follows:
- a named clinician / head of service / specialty
(see our Clinic specialties and Heads of Unit) - the date of referral
- a current provider number / address of your practice
Austin Health's preferred method of referral receipt is an electronic referral (see eReferral section above). Alternatively, if you are not eReferral enabled a referral can be sent by faxing a Specialist Clinics GP referral form to 9496 2097.
We unfortunately do not accept referrals via email.
The following resources provide additional detail on Specialist Clinics funding and Rights of Private practice in Public Hospitals:
The Health Insurance Act 1973:
Click here.
Specialist clinics in Victorian public hospitals: A resource kit for MBS-billed services:
Click here.
Medicare Benefits Schedule:
Click here.
AMA Victoria – Information for practitioners: Treating private patients in a public hospital:
Click here.
Australian Taxation Office:
Click here.
Austin Health acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
We celebrate, value and include people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities.