For Health Professionals

Overview

Our respiratory team manages generalised and specialised lung conditions, and can provide diagnostic services to GPs. Please obtain a request pad from Diagnostic Services by phoning (03) 5320 4201.  

Our areas of expertise are: 

  • General respiratory medicine  
  • Severe airways disease including asthma, COPD and bronchiectasis 
  • Interstitial lung disease including pulmonary fibrosis 
  • Lung cancer diagnosis 
  • Home oxygen therapy  
  • Diagnostic bronchoscopy  
  • Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration 
  • Pleural procedures 
  • Lung function testing interpretation [Spirometry, Diffusing Capacity, Body Plethysmography, Bronchoprovocation, 6-minute-walk test, Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)]  
    • DO NOT SEND PTS VIA THIS ROUTE FOR TESTING, PLEASE CONTACT DIAGNOSTICS FOR A REQUEST PAD. PH: 03 5320 4201 FX: 03 5320 4713 

Referral process

Referrals to our outpatient clinics are required by GPs in writing: 

  • attention to a named clinician 
  • with a clear statement as to what issue is to be addressed by the clinic 

Referrals are regularly triaged by a consultant. If you are concerned about a delay, or if you feel a patient needs to be seen more urgently, please contact the Respiratory Advanced Trainee directly via Ballarat Base Hospital Switchboard on 03 5320 4000.  

  • Address referral to Dr Wasek Faisal  
  • Referrals are triaged daily 
  • SMART referral accepted 

Coordinator: Ms Kath McCann  
Phone: 0437 270 743  

Clinic details 

When: Monday mornings, 9.00am-12.00pm
Location: BRICC, 1 Drummond Street, Ballarat 

  • Address referral to Dr Binara Jayasinghe 
  • SMART referral accepted 

Fax: 03 5320 4822  
GP Hotline: 03 5320 6800  

Clinic details 

When: Monday afternoons, 1:30pm-4:30pm
Location: BRICC Level 3, 1 Drummond Street, Ballarat 

  • Address referral to Dr Damoon Entesari-Tatafi 
  • SMART referral accepted 

Fax: 03 5320 4822
GP Hotline: 03 5320 6800  

Clinic details 

When: Thursday mornings, 9.00am-12.00pm
Location: 4 West, Ballarat Base Hospital 

  • Address referral to Dr Damoon Entesari-Tatafi 
  • SMART referral accepted 

Fax: 03 5320 4822  
GP Hotline: 03 5320 6800  

Clinic details 

When: Thursday afternoons, 1.30pm-4.30pm
Location: 3 West, Ballarat Base Hospital 

Referral criteria

  • Patient demographic information 
  • Referrer demographic information including provider number 
  • Specific reason for referral  
  • Specific service(s) requested 
  • Current patient management  
  • Name of the consultant (for clinics)  
  • Investigation reports related to the referral 

Severe/difficult-to-treat asthma 

  • > 1 course of oral steroids required per year or 1 admission to hospital 
  • Patient must be on a moderate or high dose inhaled corticosteroid with long-acting beta agonist 
  • Please attach lung function test 

Bronchiectasis with at least yearly exacerbation  

  • Patient is already engaging in chest physiotherapy 
  • Patient must have HRCT and sputum MCS including AFB x 3 
  • Patients with Cystic Fibrosis service should be referred to The Alfred Hospital 

Severe COPD (FEV1 < 50%) 

  • Patient must have PFT/6MWT  
  • Patient must be on LAMA/LABA 
  • Smoking cessation attempted and pulmonary rehabilitation offered 
  • If symptoms are progressing, patient must have CT/HRCT Chest 

ILD/chronic pulmonary infection  

  • Dyspnoea and/or cough with pulmonary infiltrates not due to acute LRTI 
  • Must have HRCT Chest 

Pulmonary Nodules  

  • We see patients with nodules ≥8mm or patients with multiple nodules 

Haemoptysis  

  • Attempt should be made to differentiate from epistaxis and haematemesis 
  • Possibility of PE should be considered. Prior TB exposure must be assessed 
  • If there is a history of TB exposure sputum AFB x 3 should be attempted 
  • Current antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulation should be outlined 
  • Patient must have had a CT chest 

Pulmonary embolus  

  • There is a public haematology service for follow-up of PE 

Pulmonary hypertension  

  • Patients with the primary issue of pulmonary hypertension should be referred to a designated centre 

Isolated dyspnoea for investigation  

  • Please consider a referral to the General Medicine Clinic  

Sleep disorders medicine 

  • We do not provide a sleep service