TranslateImmunology and allergy
Outpatients
Information about outpatient clinics for the assessment and management of allergic and immunologic diseases.
The Department will periodically contact patients waiting for an outpatient clinic appointment via SMS, with a link to an electronic form. This is part of routine waitlist auditing to ensure patient details are up to date. If you receive this SMS, please update your details. Outpatient Central Services can be contacted on 1300 522 809.
Availability
North
South based clinic.
North West
South based clinic.
Emergency conditions
The following conditions are medical emergencies and require immediate transfer to the Royal Hobart Hospital emergency department:
- Anaphylaxis
- Angioedema with threat to the airway
- Acute severe asthma
Emergency care
If you, or someone else, are experiencing a serious and life-threatening injury or illness call triple zero (000) immediately or go to the nearest Emergency Department.
Learn more about when to access emergency care and non-emergency care options if the injury or illness is not serious or life-threatening.
Scope
Clinical Immunologists deal with conditions in three main areas:
- Allergy - immunological reaction against harmless substances
- Immunodeficiency - increase in the frequency or severity of infections
- Autoimmunity/autoinflammatory - immunological reaction against the self
This service incorporates the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) Jack Jumper Allergy Clinic. This service is distinct from the RHH Paediatric Allergy Clinic. Referrals for children (<18 years old) with non-insect related allergy should be directed to from the RHH Paediatric Allergy Clinic
We provide outpatient clinical services as well as consultation to hospital inpatients and day-patient admissions for procedures.
Out of hours on-call and inpatient admissions are currently outside of the scope of this service.
Our services/procedures
- Clinical consultation
- Skin prick testing for allergy diagnosis
- Immunotherapy/Desensitisation for allergy treatment
- Challenge testing for diagnosis of food or drug allergy
- Assessment and management (including supervised immunisation) of suspected vaccine allergy.
Services we provide/clinical conditions appropriate for referral
Adults and children with generalised allergic/anaphylactic reactions to insects
Adults (age 18 years and over) for:
- Anaphylaxis to drugs, insects, foods and unknown cause
- Urticaria and angioedema
- Hereditary angioedema
- Allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis
- Allergic and non-allergic sinusitis, nasal polyposis
- Asthma, allergic and non-allergic
- Consideration of venom and aeroallergen immunotherapy
- Drug allergy (including vaccine and radiocontrast media allergy)
- Food allergy
- Severe eczema
- Eosinophilic oesophagitis and other eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease
- Mastocytosis and mast cell activation disorders
- Systemic autoinflammatory diseases / Periodic fever syndromes
- Immunodeficiency, hereditary and acquired (not HIV)
Referral process
Referrals need sufficient information to allow triage and act as a clinical handover and must conform to the referral standards. eReferral is now the preferred method of referral for this service and is available in All regions. Please refer via HealthLink SmartForm eReferral through your software system (either Best Practice, or Medical Director). For instructions, see the creating an eReferral quick guide.
Referrals are registered by the clinic to which they are referred and are triaged according to the specific clinic guidelines.
| Condition | Likely Triage Category | Information required to determine urgency/Prerequisite information |
|---|---|---|
| Anaphylaxis |
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| Food allergy |
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| Rhinitis/Sinusitis |
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| Asthma |
|
|
| Immunodeficiency |
|
|
| Drug/Vaccine/Contrast Allergy |
|
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| Chronic Urticaria |
|
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| Angioedema |
|
|
Periodic fever/ Autoinflammatory syndrome |
|
|
| Mast cell disorder |
|
|
| Severe eczema (as part of multidisciplinary investigation and management) |
|
|
Appointments are based on clinical priority.
Where available, eReferral via HealthLink smart forms is now the preferred and only secure method of referral to the Tasmanian Department of Health.
Clinic appointments
Urgent (Category 1)
We will endeavour to see these patients within 4 weeks.
Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Consultant/Registrar or Clinic Nurse to organise urgent review.
Semi-urgent (Category 2)
We will endeavour to see these patients within 12 weeks.
Routine / category 3
Next available appointment.
