Tasmanian eReferral System

As part of HealthLink’s commitment to continual improvement of our service, systems, and environments, they will be conducting planned maintenance. Please take note of the following details:

Maintenance Window Details:

Duration: Approximately 4 hours

Upcoming Updates:
Please note that next month's updates will occur on Tuesday, 28th October 2025.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding as we work to enhance our services. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Join us for an information session tailored for Optometrists to explore the benefits and practicalities of using eReferrals. As the largest referring allied health profession into the Tasmanian Health Service, Optometrists play a key role in the success of this digital transformation.

The information session will provide a comprehensive overview of the eReferral system. It will explain the role of HealthLink and how Optometrists can set up an account, and what having an account entails. We will demonstrate how to send an eReferral to the Ophthalmology Dept at the Royal Hobart Hospital (the only Ophthalmology Dept in Tas). We will also demonstrate how to send eReferrals to GPs, Allied Health and Private Specialists. We will show where to go for how-to resources and provide contact details for further support. There will be opportunities for the Optometrists to ask questions.

Learning outcomes:

• Provide an overview of the Tasmanian eReferral System.
• Explain how to set up a HealthLink account.
• Demonstrate how to send and receive eReferrals.
• Explain where to go for support.

Tuesday 16 September - 5:30pm to 6:30pm

Online via Zoom

Watch the recording - eReferral for Optometry Information Session | PHT Online Learning Hub

Password: phtlearning

Additional Statewide Referral Criteria (SRC) forms implemented for the below services:

• Wound Management (LGH, RHH, North Community)
• Urology (LGH, MCH, RHH)
• Neurology (LGH, NWRH, RHH)
• Renal Medicine / Nephrology (LGH, MCH, NWRH, RHH)
• Paediatric Surgery (RHH)
• Audiology (State-wide) (RHH)
• Community Nursing (North and North West Community)
• ComRRS (North and North West Community)

New service selection (not SRC):

• Pain Management Service (LGH)
• Paediatric Neurodevelopment and Behavioural (LGH, NWRH, RHH)
• Diabetes Nurse Education (LGH)

Attn: GPs

You may notice two non-mandatory fields located in the ‘Requested Information’ section across all paediatric-related HealthLink SmartForms.

In addition to the pre-populated Next of Kin field, the form now includes space to document:

• Primary Carer/Support Person
• Legal Guardian

These fields have been introduced to support child safety and care coordination. In some situations, the person recorded as next of kin may not be the child’s primary carer or their legal guardian. For example, a child might live with a grandparent, foster carer, or other support person who plays a central role in their life and care.

While these fields are optional, we encourage you to complete them when relevant to help ensure the right people are engaged in the child’s healthcare journey.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to safe and effective paediatric care.

From the Tasmanian Department of Health:

Tasmania has a set of defined procedures not routinely funded in Tasmanian public hospitals. However, some procedures can occur in exceptional circumstances, see here: Planned Surgery Access Policy.

If a patient is referred to a public hospital for a procedure listed in this policy and surgery is declined, an appeal can be requested by the patient via their General Practitioner (GP). The ‘Request for review of surgical decision’ form is available in Healthlink eReferral Smartforms. For more information about eReferral, email providersupport@primaryhealthtas.com.au

For GPs without access to eReferral, the reason for appeal and the patient’s clinical history can be faxed to the outpatient fax of the public hospital to which the patient was referred, and will be forwarded to the Clinical Director of Surgery.

Current process

If a patient is referred to a public hospital for a procedure that is not routinely performed and is denied approval, an appeal can be requested by the GP for their patient using the “GP Appeals” Form. Until recently, the appeal was made through a link to an online form, which is being removed (see link at the bottom of this page: Waitlists and waiting times | Tasmanian Department of Health). The reason for this change is because the IT server that contains the form, and distributes it securely to recipients, is being decommissioned.

New Process

The new process for GP appeals is through HealthLink (eReferral platform):

1. The GP selects ‘Request for review of surgical decision’ in HealthLink and completes form (live as of Wednesday 25th September).
2. The eReferral is allocated to the relevant regional Clinical Director of Surgery for review.
3. Communication with the GP will be managed through the Referral Management System by the Clinical Director of Surgery.

The Tasmanian Department of Health is expanding the list of services available for referral via HealthLink Smart Forms from Wednesday 25 September 2024.

Included in this release are three new referable services:

• Haematology (Benign and Malignant) at the Mersey Community Hospital;
• Heart Failure Advice Only Request at the Royal Hobart Hospital; and
• Request for review of Surgical decision at all acute facilities.

A full, updated service list is available in the panel to the right.

About the Heart Failure Advice Only Request

As part of Tasmania’s Digital Health Transformation Program 2022-2032, the Royal Hobart Hospital is trialing a new feature within the HealthLink Smart Form system.

What is it?

A new category ‘Heart Failure Advice Only Request’ will appear under Cardiology Services.

This feature will allow GPs in the south of the state to seek written advice on appropriate, non-urgent patients with heart failure.

For example, you may wish to seek:

• advice regarding diagnosis and/or clarification regarding a heart failure patient’s investigation results,
• advice on a heart failure treatment plan and/or the ongoing management of a patient with heart failure,
• guidance on when to refer a patient with heart failure or determining the most suitable alternative care pathway.

How will it work?

Your request for heart failure advice must:

• be submitted via the HealthLink system,
• contain sufficient clinical information as outlined in the Heart Failure Statewide Referral Criteria for a written response to be provided,
• include the question you would like answered.

What can you expect?

A written response via HealthLink to your Best Practice inbox/Medical Director Holding file within 2-3 business days.

If the Cardiologist determines that they would like to see the patient in the outpatient clinic – the referral will be forwarded to appointment scheduling, and you will be notified of this outcome.

Why is this being trialed?

Through this innovative feature you will be able to obtain the specialist advice you need to continue managing your heart failure patients in the community.

For all urgent enquiries please continue to call the on-call Cardiologist or Registrar via RHH switch 6166 8308.

Minor Service List Updates

There have also been some minor service list structural changes for usability improvements, including the creation of a Gastroenterology Services selection and ability to direct a referral directly to:

• Gastroenterology (General/Clinics)
• Gastroenterology (Endoscopy)
• Hepatology

Similarly, a Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Services selection, which gives you the ability to direct a referral to:

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Respiratory Medicine
• Sleep Medicine

A number of other services will also now be grouped together under relevant headings, such as Ambulatory Care Centre Services, Ophthalmology Services, Paediatric Services, Neurosurgery Services (Statewide), Neurology Services, Gynaecology Services, Immunology and Allergy Services, and Cardiology Services.

As always, if you have any questions or require training to use HealthLink, please contact Primary Health Tasmania Provider Support at providersupport@primaryhealthtas.com.au.

Following the implementation of the eReferrals system, the Outpatient Transformation Program 2022-2026 (Tasmanian Department of Health) has set the following service level targets for processing specialist outpatient eReferrals:

• Referral Registration/Allocation: Our administrators aim to register the referral, verify patient details and assign it for pre-screening / triage within 1 business day.
• Triage: A triaging clinician will aim to accept, decline, or request more information from the referrer within 5 business days.
• Booking / Processing: Clinics will aim to waitlist/book, notify of outcome, and load the referral to the patient’s medical record within:
  • Non-urgent referrals: 10 business days of acceptance.
  • Category 1 or referrals otherwise deemed urgent: 1 business day of acceptance.
• Additional Information Requests: For urgent referrals, the requested information should be provided by the referrer within 4 business days; for non-urgent, within 10 business days.

These targets provide transparency for you and your patients regarding referral outcomes. While clinics aim to meet these targets, delays do occur in complex cases or other extenuating in-clinic circumstances. To assist us with meeting these targets, you can:

• Use HealthLink Smart Form eReferrals to avoid lengthy administrative delays with paper/fax/emails paper handling.
• Always ensure URGENT flags are used in clinically appropriate circumstances.
• Ensure your practice has processes in place to review all eReferral related notifications and respond to all request for information notifications within timeframes.

The preferred method for referral to the northwest antenatal service is via the HealthLink SmartForm. Select the ‘Tasmanian Health Service’ and ‘Antenatal’ service from the menu within HealthLink. There will be changes to the antenatal SmartForm mid-2024 to accommodate service specific information, similar to the information in the paper-based form.

The Tasmanian Health Service and Primary Health Tasmania eReferral teams are pleased to host two GP information sessions on the next stage of eReferral rollout.

These online sessions for GPs will provide:

• An update on the eReferral rollout to date
• An update on the Outpatient Transformation Program will include the achievements from year one, scope and progress for year two
• Information on introduction of Statewide Referral Criteria (SRC)

Both sessions will provide the same update. In addition:

• Session 1 will feature Dr Nathan Dwyer speaking about SRC and Cardiology.
• Session 2 will feature Dr Chris Middleton speaking about SRC and Gastroenterology.

Session 2 was recorded and can be watched below: