Information for Referring Doctors
At present Dr Sharman has very limited capacity to accept referrals from General Practitioners.
Please contact reception on 62240935 to establish whether Dr Sharman currently has capacity to accept new referrals.
The procedure below applies if Dr Sharman can accept referrals.
Procedure
Written referrals should be forwarded to Hobart Occupational Medicine for consideration before an initial appointment can be allocated. The referral should include the workers contact details, the clinical background, purpose of the referral, the name of any insurer involved (if known) and if it is anticipated we will need to provide ongoing management as the Primary Treating Medical Practitioner.
For routine referrals post, email or fax a referral so that an appropriate appointment can be allocated. In urgent circumstances ring Dr Sharman to discuss.
Our Referral Policy
This policy outlines the criteria used to decide on the acceptance of referrals from medical practitioners, particularly where the referral involves provision of ongoing management as the “Primary Treating Medical Practitioner” in accordance with the Workers Rehabilitation & Compensation Act.
1) Nature of medical condition
Clinical management of the injury or disease must fall within the scope of occupational medicine practice. Our doctors do not have specialist expertise in environmental medicine.
- workers referred with recognised occupational diseases and exposures will be given high priority according to clinical need, particularly when there is no other relevant clinical specialist available to provide management advice.
- workers with work-related musculo-skeletal and pain disorders, (including spinal disorders and occupational overuse syndromes) will be given priority according to clinical need.
- workers with work-related psychological disorders will be given priority where there is an associated need for workplace intervention.
- workers with motor vehicle accident-related injuries will be given priority where the principle issue is return to work.
2) Conflict of interest.
Where our doctors have prior involvement as an independent doctor, acceptance of the referral is subject to identification and clarification of any potential conflict of interest to the satisfaction of the doctor and the referred patient
3) Injury management approach by insurer
Where there is a compensation claim, the insurer should have a proactive and co-operative approach to injury management without being overly bureaucratic. The likelihood of a good outcome for a complex work-related injury is otherwise significantly reduced.
Priority is given to referrals where the has proactive injury management processes in place.
4) Referrals with a primary medico-legal purpose
Referrals with the primary purpose of allowing a lawyer to obtain a medico-legal opinion will be given a lower priority. Such referrals should be arranged directly by the employer or lawyer as an independent medico-legal assessment.
5) Repeat referrals
Workers who have previously had health conditions managed through Hobart Occupational Medicine will be given priority.
Updated 14 November 2024
