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Is the emergency department the best place for you?

If not, there are other options

Allergy and Immunology outpatient clinics

 

The Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) provides a specialist service for the diagnosis and management of allergic and immunologic diseases affecting the respiratory system, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other systems.

For any patients who require emergency/immediate assessment, they should be sent directly to the RAH emergency department. Furthermore there are immunologists available on call.

Relevant conditions include:

  • Anaphylaxis
  • Angioedema with threat to the airway
  • Acute severe asthma
  • Autoimmune disease/vasculitis with organ threat

URGENT REFERRALS

For any urgent referrals please contact the RAH switchboard: (08) 7074 0000.

During office hours: Ask for Allergy and Immunology Registrar to discuss the patient.

After hours: Ask for an On call Immunology Consultant to discuss an urgent clinic appointment.

Outpatient information

The Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at RAH provides a specialist service for the diagnosis and management of allergic and immunologic diseases affecting the respiratory system, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other systems.

Outpatient referrals should be faxed to (08) 7074 6247.

For further information / appointment queries, contact the Outpatient Call Centre on 1300 153 853.

Our Clinical Immunologists deal with conditions in 3 main areas:

  • Allergy - immunological reaction against harmless substances
  • Immunodeficiency - increase in the frequency or severity of infections
  • Autoimmunity – immunological reaction against the self.

We provide outpatient clinical services as well as consultation to hospital inpatients, day-patient admissions for procedures, and inpatient admissions to the medical ward under an Immunology consultant.

Our services / procedures

  • Clinical consultation
  • Skin prick testing for allergy diagnosis
  • Immunotherapy/desensitisation for allergy treatment
  • Challenge testing for diagnosis of food, drug allergy.

Condition

Likely Triage Category

Information required to determine urgency/

Prerequisite information

Anaphylaxis

Rapid Access

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

Severity - hypotension, collapse adrenaline treatment, admitted to hospital

Cause - known, unknown, avoidable

Recurrence

Has/has not EpiPen

Food allergy

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Severity of reactions

Known/unknown food

Multiple foods

Nutritional impact

Rhinitis/Sinusitis

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Interference with daily activities

Response to medications

Nasal obstruction, anosmia

Sinus infections

Asthma

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Severity of attacks, symptoms

Response to medications

Likely allergic triggers

Assessment for immunodeficiency

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Severity, frequency of infections

Immunoglobulin levels

Infectious pathogens, antibiotic requirement

Atypical infections, family history

Drug/Contrast Allergy

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Urgent indication for suspected drug allergen

Multiple allergies/limited options

Nature of previous adverse reactions

Chronic Urticaria

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Duration, severity of urticaria

Association with systemic symptoms

Response to antihistamines

Angioedema

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

Frequency, severity

Involvement of airway

Eczema

Non-Urgent

Primary referral to dermatology

Allergic trigger suspected?

Periodic fever/

Autoinflammatory syndrome

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Fever, rash, organ involvement, family history

Mast cell disorder

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Anaphylaxis, recurrent mastocytosis attacks

Organ, systemic involvement

Predominant cutaneous involvement

Vasculitis- GPA, EGPA

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

New diagnosis, organ involvement, eosinophil counts, inflammatory markers

Systemic autoimmune disease

SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome, dermatomyositis

Urgent

Semi-Urgent

Non-Urgent

Active inflammation, organ threatening

Unwell, progressive disease

Positive blood tests without signs

Services we provide / clinical conditions appropriate for referral:

  • Anaphylaxis to drugs, insects, foods and unknown cause
  • Urticaria and angioedema
  • Hereditary Angioedema
  • Drug allergy
  • Allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis
  • Non-allergic rhinitis
  • Allergic and non-allergic sinusitis, nasal polyposis
  • Asthma, allergic and non-allergic
  • Eczema
  • Venom and aeroallergen immunotherapy
  • Systemic vasculitis including GPA
  • Food allergy
  • Eosinophilic oesophagitis, gastroenteritis
  • Mast cell disorders
  • Immunological lung diseases such as bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, EGPA
  • Systemic autoimmune disorders such as SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome, dermatomyositis
  • Systemic autoinflammatory diseases
  • Immunodeficiency, hereditary and acquired (not HIV).
What we don’t see / Conditions excluded from service:
  • Irritable bowel syndrome/suspected food intolerance (except on referral or recommendation from gastroenterologist)
  • Large local reactions to insect stings
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome/multiple chemical sensitivity/fibromyalgia (except where there is a good reason to suspect allergy, autoimmunity or immunodeficiency)
  • Contact dermatitis (refer to dermatology)
  • Acute or chronic urticaria which has remitted (unless allergic cause suspected)
  • Children under 18 yrs
  • Patients being treated for same condition at other hospital.

Fact sheets

Further Information

Useful links:


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