Outpatient appointments

After being referred, you will receive a letter from the outpatient department you are attending with appointment details.

Wait times for an outpatient appointment will vary depending on the service's demand level and are categorised according to their degree of clinical urgency. 

If your condition changes or deteriorates, a new referral is required. Meet with your primary healthcare practitioner for a review and get supporting information regarding the change in your clinical condition. This new information should be provided as a new referral to the outpatient service with a note indicating that your status and condition have deteriorated.

When you arrive at the RAH for your outpatient or day treatment appointment, you can check in using one of the blue check-in kiosks. These kiosks are conveniently located near the hospital's main entrances and just outside the carpark lifts on Level 3. Check-in only takes a few minutes, and you are prompted through each screen. You can scan the barcode on your appointment letter or swipe your Medicare or Department of Veteran Affairs Card to register your attendance for all your appointments for the day. You will receive a numbered ticket from the kiosk with your appointment time and any instructions. 

You can choose to have this information sent to you by text message, which will give you greater flexibility to go outside and enjoy the gardens. If you do not enter your mobile number, you must watch the screens in public areas throughout Level 3. The screens will call you to attend your appointment by displaying your ticket number and clinic location.

Before each appointment, you must go to the front desk in the relevant area so we can check and update your details and see your Medicare card. Your outpatient appointment letter will include information about checking in, and staff will be on hand near the kiosks if you need any help.

We advise all patients to arrive at least 15 minutes before the appointment.

You will receive a confirmation letter or phone call before your visit with detailed instructions on what to bring.

To ensure your appointment runs smoothly and with as little delay as possible, bring items relevant to your condition (where applicable), including:

• x-rays
• test results
• forms sent for you to complete before your appointment
• other relevant paperwork such as Advance Care Directive, Anticipatory Directives, Enduring Power of Guardianship, Medical Power of Attorney, Guardianship Board Order, Statement of Choices, Facility Form or Good Palliative Care Plan/Order, Ulysses Agreement.

Due to the equipment used in the outpatient department, we recommended patients attending with children supervise them at all times. We also recommended that patients limit the number of support people who attend their appointments due to limited space in consulting rooms and waiting areas.

In the event of a delay to your scheduled appointment time, we recommend that you bring food, water, and any required medications, particularly if you have dietary restrictions, to reduce the impact of the delay. Food and drink options are also available on-site at the RAH.

If you have been specifically requested to have certain tests before attending your outpatient appointment, ensure these have been completed at least a week prior to your scheduled appointment.

If you have received test results or x-rays that relevant to your condition, bring them to your outpatient appointment.

In most cases, you should phone the Outpatient Call Centre and Referral Management Hub directly if you need to change or cancel your outpatient appointment.

Be aware that if you require a change to your outpatient appointment time, due to high demand for many outpatient clinics, there may be a delay in re-scheduling to the next available appointment If you need to cancel your appointment, whether because your condition has resolved or you are receiving treatment elsewhere, let us know as soon as possible so your appointment time can be given to another patient.

The Outpatient Call Centre and Referral Management Hub should not be used for the following services. Instead, contact them directly if you need to change or cancel your appoitnment: