Inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease — referral criteria for Gastroenterology services.

Full SRC reference

Eligibility

At least one must be met for the patient to be eligible for referral.

Clinically suspected or confirmed inflammatory bowel disease with initial primary-care work-up completed

Red flags

Indicate urgent (Category 1) referral or emergency assessment.

Acute severe colitis: patients with greater than or equal to 6 bloody bowel motions per 24 hours plus at least one of the following — temperature greater than 37.8°C

Acute severe colitis: patients with greater than or equal to 6 bloody bowel motions per 24 hours plus at least one of the following — pulse rate greater than 90 beats per minute

Acute severe colitis: patients with greater than or equal to 6 bloody bowel motions per 24 hours plus at least one of the following — haemoglobin less than 105 grams per litre

Acute severe colitis: patients with greater than or equal to 6 bloody bowel motions per 24 hours plus at least one of the following — raised inflammatory markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) greater than 30 millimetres per hour or C-reactive protein…

Suspected or known Crohn’s disease with acute complications — bowel obstruction

Suspected or known Crohn’s disease with acute complications — sepsis or intra-abdominal or pelvic abscess

Routine referral criteria

Determine Category 2 or 3 urgency.

Known inflammatory bowel disease

Strongly suspected inflammatory disease based on — recurrent perianal fistulas or abscesses

Strongly suspected inflammatory disease based on — imaging results that strongly suggest Crohn’s disease or colitis

Strongly suspected inflammatory disease based on — endoscopy findings consistent with inflammatory bowel disease