Hypothyroidism
Adult

Diabetes and Endocrinology

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Emergency Referrals

Useful Management Information

No USS is required in the routine assessment of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
Consider other autoimmune glandular conditions if autoimmune hypothyroidism (e.g. pernicious anaemia, coeliac disease and Addison’s)
Commence low dose thyroxine and gradually titrate over months if cardiac disease
Usually primary hypothyroidism should be able to be managed in general practice
Patients with positive thyroid antibodies and normal TFT do not need to be referred to an endocrine service and recommend TSH to be monitored annually
Where indicated, cortisol must be replaced before thyroxine
TSH cannot be used to guide replacement thyroxine therapy in patients with pituitary dysfunction. Aim to keep T4 in mid-to-upper range of normal
For women who are pregnant with known hypothyroidism on treatment with thyroxine, the dose of thyroxine needs to be increased by 30-50% in the first trimester. TFTs should be checked 6 weeks after any change in dose to assess adequacy of replacement, otherwise at least once per trimester. It is expected that this will be managed through the GP or the antenatal clinic.

Clinician Resources:

Thyroid Function Testing and Management in Pregnancy

Minimum Referral Criteria

Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?

Category 1 (appointment within 30 calendar days)	Suspected or confirmed secondary hypothyroidism (low T4 without a raised TSH) Pregnant
Category 2 (appointment within 90 calendar days)	Hypothyroidism with difficulty normalising TFTs despite thyroxine therapy Hypothyroidism within 12 months of delivery of a child Pre-pregnancy counselling
Category 3 (appointment within 365 calendar days)	Problems with management of primary or secondary hypothyroidism
If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested: Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.) Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service.

Standard Referral Information

Reason for request

To establish a diagnosis
For treatment or intervention
For advice and management
For specialist to take over management
Reassurance for GP/second opinion
For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
Reassurance for the patient/family
For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

Relevant clinical information about the condition

Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
Physical findings
Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
All conservative options that have been pursued unsuccessfully prior to referral
Body mass index (BMI)
Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
Any special care requirements where relevant (e.g tracheostomy in place, oxygen required)
Current medications and dosages
Drug allergies
Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

Patient's Demographic Details

Full name (including aliases)
Date and country of birth
Residential and postal address including whether patient resides at an aged care facility
Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
Medicare number (where eligible)
Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
Name of delegate and contact details (Department of Corrective Services)
Preferred language and interpreter requirements
Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Any special needs, access requirements and/or disability relevant to the referral

Referring Practitioner Details

Full name
Full address
Contact details – telephone, fax, email
Provider number
Date of referral
Signature
Nominated general practitioner’s details (if known), if the nominated general practitioner is different from the referring practitioner

Other relevant information

Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)

Essential Referral Information

TSH
Free T4 results
Thyroid antibodies if primary hypothyroidism
Specific thyroid history eg. thyroiditis, thyroid disease in pregnancy, management of hypertension

Additional Referral Information

Weight, Height, BMI and weight history (weight loss or weight gain)
Family history

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Preferred Method
About Smart Referrals

Secure Web Transfer

Send to: Gold Coast Health Service District

Internal Referrals

Diabetes/Endocrinology (E-Blueslips)

Fax

(07) 5687 4497

Post

Booking and Referral Centre
Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215

Enquiries

1300 559 083

Related HealthPathways

No directly related pathways found

HealthPathways home page

Service Availability

Dr Katherine Griffin

Medical Director Diabetes and Endocrinology

Facilities

Gold Coast University Hospital

Robina Hospital

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

HypothyroidismAdult