Home › For referrers

For referrers

Referrals are accepted from GPs and specialists by Healthlink (EDI: painmdwa), fax (08 6114 0717) or email (admin@painmedicinewa.com). Routine appointments are generally available within two to four weeks. Urgent triage is supported — mark the referral urgent or call the rooms on 0448 299 260.

Referral scope

Dr Martin accepts referrals for assessment and management of persistent and complex pain, including:

• Spinal pain — including facet-mediated pain, radicular pain, and persistent pain after spinal surgery
• Neuropathic pain of peripheral or central origin
• Complex regional pain syndrome (early referral encouraged)
• Pain associated with neurological injury — spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke; spasticity management including intramuscular injection
• Amputation-related pain — residual limb, neuroma and phantom limb pain
• Joint pain in patients awaiting, unsuitable for, or with persistent pain after arthroplasty
• Pelvic pain, occipital neuralgia and cervicogenic headache
• Cancer pain — including interventional options where systemic therapy is limited by efficacy or tolerability; these referrals are prioritised
• Medication review, including where deprescribing support is sought
• WorkCover WA and ICWA patients, including those requiring return-to-work planning

The practice model combines interventional pain medicine with rehabilitation medicine: procedural treatment, where indicated, is planned together with a structured functional rehabilitation program rather than in isolation.

What to include in a referral

• Presenting problem, duration, and the specific question where there is one
• Current medications with doses, and relevant past medication trials
• Relevant imaging reports and where imaging was performed
• Previous interventions and responses — injections, surgery, programs
• Relevant comorbidities, including anticoagulation and diabetes (procedure planning)
• For WorkCover WA / ICWA: claim number, insurer and case manager details — funding pre-approval is required before the appointment and is confirmed by the rooms; approval generally takes around two weeks, so early referral of claim details avoids delayed appointments
• For DVA: card type and number

Triage and urgency

Referrals are reviewed on receipt. Routine appointments are generally available within two to four weeks, varying with demand. Where you consider assessment urgent — suspected CRPS, rapidly escalating pain, cancer pain, or deteriorating function — mark the referral urgent or call the rooms directly on 0448 299 260 and it will be triaged accordingly.

What you will receive

A letter follows the initial consultation, setting out the assessment, the working diagnosis and mechanism, the agreed plan, and specifically what is recommended, what was considered and not recommended, and why. Where procedures are undertaken, you receive the outcome including the response to any diagnostic blocks — quantified where possible — and the resulting plan. Prescribing remains with the referrer in the great majority of cases; the practice's role is assessment, procedural treatment where indicated, and a clear written plan.

Practical details

• Healthlink EDI — painmdwa
• Fax — 08 6114 0717
• Email — admin@painmedicinewa.com
• Phone — 0448 299 260 (Mon 9:00am–4:00pm, Tue–Thu 8:00am–4:00pm)
• Rooms — 13 Grosvenor Road, Mount Lawley WA
• Procedures — Hollywood Private Hospital · St John of God Subiaco · Mount Hospital

Referral validity for Medicare purposes: 12 months (GP), 3 months (specialist). Insured patients are generally treated with no gap for in-hospital procedures where their policy covers pain management procedures; non-MBS items excluded. Full billing details are on the Fees and billing page.

To discuss a patient

Dr Martin is happy to discuss patients with GPs and referrers — whether a referral is appropriate, or how best to manage a complex patient before referring. Call the rooms on 0448 299 260 and clinical calls will be returned between sessions.

Reviewed by Dr Chris Martin, Consultant Pain and Rehabilitation Physician.