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Gastroenterology · Refer Your Patient
Abdominal Pain
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Abdominal Pain.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. - Severe abdominal pain with significant impacts on activities of daily living or with any of the following concerning features:
- weight loss ≥5% of body weight in previous 6 months
- past history Barrett’s/polyps/cancer
- family history of Barrett’s, oesophageal or gastric or bowel cancer
- iron deficiency in males and postmenopausal women or unexplained iron deficiency in premenopausal women
- abdominal mass on clinical examination or abnormal imaging
- nocturnal symptoms
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. - Abdominal pain for >6 weeks without concerning features and not affecting activities of daily living
Cat 3 · 365 days
appointment within 365 calendar days. - No category 3 criteria
Essential referral information
Referral will be returned without this. If a mandatory test cannot be obtained, say so in the referral.
- Patient and family history of gastrointestinal cancer
- Previous endoscopic procedures (date, report, histology)
- ELFT
- FBC
- Iron studies results
- Relevant imaging reports
If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a Clinical Override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.
Out of scope / wrong door
- The following conditions are out of scope for this service:
- Screening colonoscopy in asymptomatic patients outside of the NHMRC guidelines
NB: If a patient has been fully investigated 2 years prior to referral, then the referrer and the receiving clinician will need to exercise clinical decision making in triaging and/or value in repeat endoscopy/colonoscopy procedures.
Parent service: Gastroenterology
Send outpatient referrals to
- Smart Referrals preferred (Best Practice or Medical Director)
- Medical Objects GQ42150009Z (lookup qh → QHEALTH, GOLD COAST HEALTH OUTPATIENT)
- HealthLink EDI Qldgchsd
- Fax (07) 5687 4497 — Booking and Referral Centre
- Post: Booking and Referral Centre, Gold Coast University Hospital, 1 Hospital Boulevard, Southport QLD 4215
- Clinic enquiries 1300 559 083
How to refer — full order
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