Request a Rheumatologist Referral Online

A rheumatologist is a medical professional who diagnoses and manages autoimmune and inflammatory diseases of the joints, muscles, and connective tissues.

Call 000 or attend your nearest Emergency Department immediately if you experience:

• Severe joint pain with high fever — may indicate septic arthritis, a joint infection requiring emergency surgical washout
• Sudden inability to move a joint — acute joint lock or severe inflammation requiring urgent assessment
• Signs of joint infection — severe pain, redness, warmth, and swelling of a single joint with fever — call 000 immediately; septic arthritis can destroy a joint within days
• Difficulty breathing alongside joint or muscle symptoms — may indicate systemic autoimmune emergency (e.g., lupus nephritis, vasculitis affecting lungs)
• Severe muscle pain with rash and weakness — may indicate inflammatory myositis requiring urgent treatment

Do not book a telehealth referral for these presentations.
A Hola Health telehealth consultation for a rheumatologist referral is appropriate for persistent joint pain, suspected autoimmune conditions, or monitoring of known inflammatory diseases. If you are unsure whether your symptoms require emergency care, call 000 — it is always safer to seek immediate help than to delay.

• Suspected autoimmune disease
• Persistent joint or muscular problems
• Abnormal inflammatory or autoimmune disease markers in blood testing
• Unexplained persistent pain or swelling
• Failure of initial treatments

• Rheumatoid arthritis – autoimmune joint inflammation
• Lupus – systemic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs
• Osteoarthritis – degenerative joint disease
• Ankylosing spondylitis – an inflammatory condition of the spine
• Gout – arthritis caused by uric acid crystals
• Vasculitis – inflammation of blood vessels

A GP referral is typically valid for 12 months; whereas, specialist referrals are valid for only 3 months. Always check the information on your referral.

Yes, online doctors can assess your symptoms and medical history to issue a referral if clinically indicated. However, please note that many rheumatological conditions require a physical examination of the joints. Your online GP may advise an in-person consultation if a physical assessment is necessary to safely manage your care.

Follow-ups are covered during the referral validity period. After the original referral expires, a new referral is necessary.

Public hospital services are usually bulk-billed; however, private rheumatologists frequently charge consultation fees.

Yes, you can ask your GP to refer you to your preferred rheumatologist for continuity of care.

Referrals are often provider-specific. Confirm with the clinic whether it can be utilised across both systems.

If you experience any of the following, call 000 immediately or visit the nearest Emergency Department (ED):

• Severe joint pain and fever
• Sudden inability to move a joint
• Signs of infection in a joint: pain, redness, warmth, swelling
• Breathing difficulty
• Severe muscle pain with rash

A referral often includes consultation. Your general practitioner or rheumatologist may request blood testing and imaging separately.

Yes, continuous care often needs appropriate referrals. To continue receiving specialised care under Medicare, your referral may need to be renewed regularly.