TranslateRecurrent Respiratory Infections/Tuberculosis
Outpatients | Respiratory and Sleep Medicine
This condition is treated in the Respiratory and Sleep Medicine clinic.
Emergency Referral Criteria
If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the Emergency Department (via ambulance if necessary) or follow local emergency care protocols or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region. Clinical judgement should always be considered in addition to these criteria.
Criteria for Emergency include:
Emergency Referral Criteria
- Respiratory failure
Statewide Referral Criteria (SRC)
Criteria for referral to public hospital specialist clinic services
Red flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.
Urgent (Category 1)
- Suspected tuberculosis
- Active pulmonary tuberculosis
Urgent referrals should be accompanied by a phone call to the Respiratory Department and/or the relevant doctor for urgent assessment.
Semi-urgent (Category 2)
- 3 or more (or recurrent) presentations of lower respiratory infections requiring antibiotics in the past 12 months.
Routine (Category 3)
- Management of stable bronchiectasis
Information to be included in the referral
(Referral may be returned without this)
Essential supporting information
Pathology
- FBE
- U&E
- LFT
- ESR
- BSL
- CRP
- Sputum M/C/S
- Sputa AFB (where TB suspected)
Imaging
- CXR
Investigations/other
- Nil
Additional information
- Childhood history of recurrent pulmonary infections, pertussis, measles
- Family history
- Comorbidities, in particular those associated with immune paresis
- Past history including sinus disease
- Current and past medications
If tuberculosis is suspected then referral should be made through eReferral as the preferred method of referral. Contact details for the clinics in each region are below:
- South: Department of Respiratory Medicine phone 03 6166 7353, fax 03 6173 0462 or [email protected]
- North West: Respiratory Clinic North West Regional Hospital Phone 03 6493 6300 and fax 03 6464 1928
- North: Respiratory Clinic Launceston General Hospital Phone 1300 977 694 and fax 03 6777 5214
Interim/GP management
To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Respiratory and Sleep Medicine clinic page for the full referral process and templates.
For Mantoux testing/BCG vaccination - please send through a valid referral to the Respiratory Clinic.
Refer to General Respiratory clinic if not responding to routine management.
For more information please see HealthPathways Tasmania - Tuberculosis
