What do we do?
Our Rheumatology teams provide care for patients with conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory conditions that typically involve the joints in addition to symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Who do we care for?
We care for Adult patients with:
- Giant cell arteritis.
- Vasculitis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Refractory Gout
- Other Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases (Scleroderma, Myositis, Sjogren’s, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease)
Conditions not seen at Rheumatology Specialist Clinics at Ballarat Base Hospital:
Patients with the following common rheumatology conditions, in the absence of inflammatory symptoms** are unable to be accommodated at present in our rheumatology clinics:
- Osteoarthritis of the hand, hip and knees - consider referral to orthopaedics if clinically indicated
- Chronic pain syndromes including Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - consider referral to alternative pain clinic
- Mechanical pain
- Low back pain and neck pain and spinal disc disease
- Shoulder pain
- Osteoporosis
- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome -consider referral to genetics clinic
- Positive blood tests without clinical symptoms* ie antinuclear antibody (ANA) or rheumatoid factor (RF)
- *Clinical symptoms: mouth/nasal ulcerations, Alopecia, Raynaud’s, Inflammatory Arthritis, Photosensitive rash, Proteinuria/Haematuria
- ** Inflammatory symptoms: Early morning stiffness, joint swelling, improvement with activity.
What can you expect?
Patients can expect an initial assessment and follow up visit if needed.
Some condition require repeat visits for monitoring and for the specialist to organise further testing and prescriptions for certain medications.
If you are transitioning your care from a specialist outside of Ballarat, you can expect a request that you/your GP obtain relevant information.
How can you access this service?
A valid referral with recent investigations from your General Practitioner or Specialist is required. Referrals are also accepted from different medical units in hospital, however it is preferable if your GP coordinates referrals.
Each referral will be assessed based on greatest need and urgency for appointment.
Rheumatology Specialist Clinics at Ballarat Base Hospital
We are pleased to inform you that we now have a Rheumatology Specialist Outpatient Service at BHS.
Dr Sian Campbell and doctors rotating from Western Health including Dr Maninda Mundae will be providing an outpatient clinic one day per week at BHS on Tuesday afternoons.
Please address referrals to Rheumatology: Dr Campbell/Mundae and fax to (03) 5320 4822.
If using the V9 SMART template you will need to manually type the clinic into the referral.
We will ensure this clinic is updated in the drop down menu when the next version of the SMART template is rolled out.
For referral criteria please refer to Westvic Health Pathways
Who do we care for?
We care for Adult patients with:
- Giant cell arteritis.
- Vasculitis
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Refractory Gout
- Other Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases (Scleroderma, Myositis, Sjogren’s, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease)
Conditions not seen at Rheumatology Specialist Clinics at Ballarat Base Hospital:
Patients with the following common rheumatology conditions, in the absence of inflammatory symptoms** are unable to be accommodated at present in our rheumatology clinics:
- Osteoarthritis of the hand, hip and knees - consider referral to orthopaedics if clinically indicated
- Chronic pain syndromes including Fibromyalgia and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - consider referral to alternative pain clinic- nil pain clinic at BHS
- Mechanical pain
- Low back pain and neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Osteoporosis
- Ehlers Danlos Syndrome -consider referral to genetics clinic
- Positive blood tests without clinical symptoms* ie antinuclear antibody (ANA) or rheumatoid factor (RF)
- *Clinical symptoms: mouth/nasal ulcerations, Alopecia, Raynaud’s, Inflammatory Arthritis, Photosensitive rash, Proteinuria/Haematuria
- ** Inflammatory symptoms: Early morning stiffness, joint swelling, improvement with activity
Tests recommended prior to referral
Statewide triage guidelines have been modified to reflect the capacity of the limited rheumatology service available at Grampians Health Ballarat.
Test results from external providers, or ordered by other rheumatologists are required to be sent with a referral.
Urgent Rheumatology referrals
Grampians Health Ballarat does not currently have an emergency or inpatient rheumatology service, this is managed by our General Medicine Physicians and teams.
Urgent rheumatology conditions can be discussed with the medical registrar through switchboard 03 5320 4000.
Ballarat Base Hospital
Location
1 Drummond Street North
Ballarat VIC 3350
Phone
Opening Hours
Tuesday Afternoons
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