{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,16]],"date-time":"2026-05-16T17:31:51Z","timestamp":1778952711848,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763683200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Internal Medicine Journal"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Rheumatology outpatient clinics are facing increasing referral volumes, including new and long\u2010term patients. International studies suggest that initial assessments by non\u2010rheumatologists can be effective.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study evaluates the role of a general medicine clinic in managing patients initially referred to rheumatology at an Australian tertiary hospital.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We retrospectively reviewed rheumatology referrals diverted to the general medicine clinic at The Northern Hospital, Victoria, from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2024. Data included patient demographics, referral reasons, investigations and clinical outcomes. Multiple indications were recorded where applicable. Ethics approval was obtained.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Fifty\u2010three referrals were redirected to general medicine. Common referral reasons included arthritis (41.5%) and abnormal pathology (17%). Rheumatology\u2010specific histories were documented in 86.3% of patients, with 34.1% showing positive findings. Rheumatological exams were performed in 60%, with positive findings in 19.2%. Two patients did not attend appointments. Following review, 60.8% underwent repeat pathology and 45.1% had radiology. Ten (19.6%) patients were initiated on treatment in general medicine. Nine (17%) were referred to rheumatology, with seven receiving a rheumatological diagnosis. The most common diagnoses made in general medicine were benign conditions such as musculoskeletal injuries (34%) and fibromyalgia (20.8%).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>General medicine clinics may effectively triage and manage patients initially referred to rheumatology, potentially reducing unnecessary specialist consultations. In our cohort, only 17% required rheumatology referral, supporting the role of general medicine in preliminary rheumatologic evaluation within the Australian healthcare context.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/imj.70261","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,22]],"date-time":"2025-11-22T05:15:06Z","timestamp":1763788506000},"page":"2053-2058","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Outcomes of rheumatology referrals seen in a general medicine clinic"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"55","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3377-5972","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sam","family":"Shan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of General Medicine The Northern Hospital  Melbourne Victoria Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shereen","family":"Oon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rheumatology St Vincent Health Melbourne  Melbourne Victoria Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andrew","family":"Foote","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Rheumatology The Northern Hospital  Melbourne Victoria Australia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_6_2_1","unstructured":"Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 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