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Unintentional weight loss
Copied from the official Gold Coast Health condition page (27 Aug 2026). Hospital triage assigns the official category. Live source: Refer Your Patient — Unintentional weight loss.
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Cat 1 · 30 days
appointment within 30 calendar days. - Significant weight loss (≥10% of body weight in previous 6 months) without anaemia*
- Clinical features or test results suggestive of disseminated malignancy
- Marked cachexia or malnutrition
- Suspected malabsorption syndromes
- Post-prandial angina
- Uncontrolled anxiety or depression or pain syndromes causing marked loss of appetite
- BMI <15Kg/m2*
* Suspected or confirmed eating disorders should be managed in accordance with the Queensland Eating Disorder Service: A guide to admission and inpatient treatment for people with eating disorders in Queensland [https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/rbwh/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/guide-to-admission-and-inpatient-treatment-eating-disorder.pdf]
Cat 2 · 90 days
appointment within 90 calendar days. - Unexplained weight loss (5-10% of body weight in previous 6 months)*
* Suspected or confirmed eating disorders should be managed in accordance with the Queensland Eating Disorder Service: A guide to admission and inpatient treatment for people with eating disorders in Queensland [https://metronorth.health.qld.gov.au/rbwh/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/guide-to-admission-and-inpatient-treatment-eating-disorder.pdf]
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.
- Relevant medical and surgical history and co-morbidities
- Medications (including over the counter (OTC) and complementary medications) including non-prescription medications
- Weight, height and BMI
- Exact weight loss and time period of weight loss
- Appetite
- Recent dietary changes
- Any associated symptoms (e.g. cough, abdominal pain, change in bowel habit, dysphagia, gum disease, poor dentition, loss of tastes)
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- Alcohol and drug history (including smoking)
- Assessment of mood and social situation (depression is a common cause of weight loss)History of Mental Health Condition
- Social history
- Appetite and recent dietary changes
- FBC, ELFT, ESR/CRP, TSH, iron studies, vitamin B12 & folate results
- Coeliac disease antibodies in younger patients (aged < 40 years old) with associated iron deficiency
Out of scope / wrong door
The following conditions are out of scope for this service:
- Mental health disorders requiring psychiatric consultation
- Genetic testing / counselling
- Requests for respite care, ACAT assessments or other forms of assessment or supportive care in the presence of established diagnoses and management plans, or where patients with established mental capacity to make decisions refuse such assessments or care
- Reviews relating to workers’ compensation claims, NDIS eligibility, disability pensions, driver license renewals, or other legal and administrative procedures
- Reviews relating to drug withdrawal or detoxification
Parent service: Internal Medicine
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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