A new statewide digital referral management solution is being introduced to improve the referral experience of patients, referrers and clinicians in outpatient services.

An eReferral is an electronic document that can be sent electronically from one health care service to another, designed to be more sustainable than the current process of faxing, emailing or posting referrals.

Benefits of using eReferrals include:

  • It’s a secure electronic submission
  • In-build templates for referral information
  • Automatic referral receipt sent
  • Original referral can be updated
  • Integration with HealthPathways
  • Paperless method


eReferrals in Western NSW


Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) has partnered with eHealth NSW and HealthLink to enable electronic referrals (eReferrals) to be sent to specialist clinics at Dubbo Health Service.

The electronic referral management system has been designed and built in a collaboration between WNSWLHD, eHealth NSW, the Ministry of Health and representatives from across the state.

See our Introduction to Electronic Referrals webinar below.




HealthLink eReferrals

HealthLink eReferrals will allow primary care general practitioners, specialists, nurses and allied health professionals to efficiently send secure eReferrals to specialist clinics at Dubbo Health Service. They are designed to enhance the triage and health management of a patient’s journey, improve patient safety, and reduce specialist outpatient wait times.

Users can benefit from capabilities such as pre-population, field validation and consistency checks, conditional visibility, intuitive layout, track referrals, and the ability to save and return to the draft referral later.


Dubbo Specialist Clinics Services with Access to HealthLink eReferral

From the 11th September 2024, the specialist clinics listed below at Dubbo Hospital will move to eReferrals via HealthLink:

Cardiology Gynaecology Ophthalmology
Dermatology Haematology Orthopaedics
Diabetes Infectious Diseases Paediatrics
Endocrinology Medical Oncology Radiation Oncology
Gastroenterology Nephrology Rehabilitation
General Surgery Neurology Respiratory
Geriatric Medicine Obstetrics Rheumatology
Ambulatory Care Medical Day Treatment Procedures Clinic

For more information about HealthLink and eReferrals, please visit the WNSWLHD website.


Feedback

If you have any feedback or suggestions about eReferrals, please contact 02 6809 6000, and select option 0, or email: WNSWLHD-ACCReferrals@health.nsw.gov.au


eReferrals in Far West NSW


Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) has partnered with eHealth NSW and HealthLink to enable electronic referrals (eReferrals) to be sent to select FWLHD outpatient services.

The electronic referral management system has been designed and built in a collaboration between FWLHD, eHealth NSW, the Ministry of Health and representatives from across the state.

See our Introduction to Electronic Referrals webinar below.



HealthLink eReferrals

HealthLink eReferrals will allow primary care general practitioners, specialists, nurses and allied health professionals to efficiently send secure eReferrals to clinics across the Far West Local Health District. They are designed to enhance the triage and health management of a patient’s journey, improve patient safety, and reduce specialist outpatient wait times.

Users can benefit from capabilities such as pre-population, field validation and consistency checks, conditional visibility, intuitive layout, track referrals, and the ability to save and return to the draft referral later.


FWLHD Services with Access to HealthLink eReferral

From 8th May 2024 the following FWLHD services will receive patient referrals via HealthLink eReferral from:

Cardiology clinic  Ophthalmology Clinic Orthopaedic Clinic
Echo Clinic   Gynaecology clinic Physician Clinic
Stress Test Clinic  Endocrinology Clinic Wound care clinic 
Gastroenterology Clinic   Dermatology Clinic Geriatric Clinic 
DAC Nurse Led clinic  Ears, Nose and Throat Clinic  Renal Clinic
Oncology Clinic  General surgery Clinic  Rheumatology Clinic
Radiation Oncology Clinic  Haematology Clinic  Urology Clinic 

FWLHD eReferrals expansion

Expansion of the electronic referral solution to more FWLHD services will follow.

If the clinic you wish to refer your patient to is not currently taking eReferrals, consult the appropriate HealthPathways referral page for information about currently available referral processes.

Phone: 08 8080 1300


For more information about HealthLink and eReferrals, please visit the FWLHD website


Feedback

If you have any feedback or suggestions about eReferrals, please contact 08 8080 1300 or email: FWLHD-Feedback@health.nsw.gov.au


Setting up HealthLink in Your Practice

HealthLink eReferrals can be integrated within the following software programs:

  • Best Practice
  • Genie
  • Medical Director
  • Medtech Evolution
  • Shexie Platinum
  • Zedmed

Users of these software can select a form, automatically pre-populate data from the electronic patient record, have it validated, send it securely to the intended recipient and receive a receipt electronically. A copy of the form will also be automatically stored securely in the patient’s record.

Practices using these systems can integrate HealthLink for free. Alternatively, you can use MyHealthLink Portal.


Registration

If you do not have a HealthLink Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) account, please complete the HealthLink Service Application form.


HealthLink help and support

For HealthLink queries or technical support, please contact HealthLink Help and Support via:


HealthLink tutorials and user guides

HealthLink has provided video tutorials and user guides to help practice staff integrate HealthLink with their practice management system. These resources can be found on the HealthLink website.


Frequently Asked Questions


Why should I use eReferrals instead of fax?

eReferrals were introduced in response to GP feedback that the existing referral processes were too time consuming. In particular, fax referrals take longer to process, which results in patients waiting longer to be referred for assessment. eReferrals are integrated with existing practice management systems and pre-populate available patient data.

To send an eReferral, simply check the patient details, enter information about their needs and add any necessary attachments to support an assessment. This makes eReferrals the quickest and easiest way to refer patients to WNSWLHD and FWLHD services.


Why did WNSWLHD and FWLHD introduce GP eReferrals?

The introduction of eReferrals was established as a state-wide project through eHealth NSW to improve the quality and safety of referral processes, ease of use, avoid wastage and minimise patient delay in accessing ambulatory care services.

For the LHDs, eReferrals aims to play a role in transforming a patient’s transition from primary to secondary care by enabling referrals to be securely sent, reducing the reliance on legacy communication systems including fax.

General practitioners now receive a notification when the referral has been received by the LHD service, which gives them and their patients peace of mind, and reduces time with referrers no longer having to follow up or generate multiple referrals.


How do I find out which practice management system version my practice has?

HealthLink eReferrals are available on:

  • Best Practice Lava SP3 and above 
  • Genie v8.8 and above 
  • MedicalDirector 3.16 and above 
  • Medtech Evolution 10.4.4 and above
  • Shexie Platinum
  • Zedmed

These practice management systems make up more than 80% of the general practice management system market in Australia.

For more information, please refer to HealthLink’s SmartForm Readiness Cheat Sheet.


How can I send an eReferral without a practice management system?

You can send and receive eReferrals without a practice management system through MyHealthLink Portal.

MyHealthLink Portal is an online portal that enables smaller medical practices and individual health care providers to submit via a web browser.

MyHealthLink Portal is protected by digital certificates and advanced HealthLink security and backed by expert technical support from HealthLink. 

You can watch a tutorial video to learn about how MyHealthLink Portal works. 


What should I do if my patient requires an urgent referral?

If the patient is in a critical condition and requires urgent emergency medical care, call an ambulance and refer to the local hospital emergency department.

HealthLink eReferrals also contain an option to select ‘Urgent’.


How do I know an eReferral submission has been successful?

If your submission has been successful, you will receive a notification at the top of the form confirming it has been sent.


What if I send an eReferral and it fails to submit?

If your submission is unsuccessful, an error message will appear. In this case, please either:

  • Call the HealthLink help desk on 1800 125 036
  • Complete the online Contact Support form
  • Email

If it does fail, the information you already entered should be saved. To check for any outstanding referrals, you can access ‘parked’ forms and resume them. 


I have submitted an eReferral for my patient, where can I find a copy of the referral in my system?

All practice management systems store eReferrals in an inbox or folder that you can refer back to.


How is patient information protected when I send a WNSWLHD or FWLHD eReferral?

The WNSWLHD and FWLHD eReferrals use end-to-end encryption to ensure privacy and security. Personal information and documents are retained securely within the WNSWLHD and FWLHD systems.

By default, the form will load the minimum information required by the LHD to create a record so that an assessment can be organised.


If I delegate the referral task to a practice nurse, will they be able to send the eReferral?

Anyone who currently has access to your practice management system will be able to access WNSWLHD/FWLHD eReferrals. Depending on how your practice management system is configured, it may be possible for practice nurses to submit an eReferral.


Useful links