Specialist Service

A referral provides information regarding you and any health-related issues you may have so that:

• the health care provider you have been referred to is aware of any pertinent background history—both of yourself and your family (if necessary);
• they do not have to go through with the same questions you’ve already answered;
• they know why you’ve been referred to them, and for what treatment.

When your health care professional or doctor writes up your referral, they provide the specialist with as much information as they think is needed. After the specialist has seen you, they will send their findings, such as a recommended course of treatment, to your referring doctor or health professional.
Throughout the whole process, your medical information is kept confidential and private. If you do have any concerns or questions about how your information is used, speak with your referring health care practitioner or doctor.

When you get a referral from your GP to see a specialist, the referral lasts 12 months. A referral from one specialist to another lasts 3 months unless the patient is admitted to hospital. For chronic conditions which require ongoing treatment, it is possible to get a recurring referral.

You may require a referral from your health care professional if you need:

• treatment that your current health care professional can’t provide;
• a certain investigation or test;
• the expertise or opinion of another health care professional;
• to use pathology services such as blood tests;
• to get diagnostic imaging services such as MRIs, x-rays, and CT scans;
• to see a specialist.

Some specialists will see you without a referral and some might not. Also, Medicare benefits will not be payable if you visit a specialist without a referral.

Your general practitioner or doctor can write a referral for you if you need one. If you have no particular specialist in mind, you can ask your doctor to recommend someone or you can always choose the individual specialist you want to be referred to. You will probably need to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the specifics of what you need, especially if you choose a particular specialist you want to be referred to and if you want (or need) certain information on the referral form. Your regular GP might be happy to provide you a referral without seeing you in person if they know you well.

Doctors, Dentists and certain allied health professionals like nurses, psychologists, midwives, osteopaths and physiotherapists can write referrals. There are certain tests and services which can only be requested by specific specialists – diagnostic imaging services (like some MRIs), as an example.

A second opinion is good if you are unsure of the diagnosis you have been given or, if you want to see if there are other treatment options available.

Want to read more about related information?
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/organisations/health-professionals/subjects/referring-and-requesting-medicare-services