New Referral Access Criteria for Rheumatology

Rheumatology has joined a growing network of public outpatient services across the State to adopt the mandated Referral Access Criteria (RAC).

Coming into effect from 13 May, the Rheumatology RAC are standardised statewide referral criteria that outline:

• what conditions will be seen in a public outpatient specialty (and what is excluded);
• the investigations required to be included with referrals to facilitate patient preparedness and appropriate clinical triage; 
• indicative triage categories to guide referrers informing patients of potential wait times. 
• Interdepartmental referrals to Rheumatology (including those between hospitals or from the Emergency Department) should also meet the RAC to ensure equity of access for patients, irrespective of their point of referral. Please call the specialty if you need any guidance or follow the links within eReferral under ‘hints’ for Rheumatology.

Rheumatology now joins multiple specialties across WA Health that already have the RAC in place, including: 

• Urology
• ENT
• Neurology
• Gastroenterology direct access endoscopy
• Ophthalmology

Two mandated RACs are planned for release every six months, with the next two RACs proposed for October 2024.

Specialties currently drafting their RACs are:

• Endocrinology and Diabetes
• Hepatology
• Immunology
• Neurosurgery, including RPH elective spinal referrals
• Orthopaedics.
• Plastic Surgery
• Respiratory.

For more information on RAC, check out the WA Department of Health webpage.

The RAC project is part of the broader Outpatient Reform Program being led by the System Improvement Unit at the Department of Health.