Should I refer?
Most clinics and hospitals are unequipped to diagnose and manage patients with PAH. PAH expert centres exist to promote the highest standards of care, with the experience, expertise and resources for diagnosing and managing patients with PAH.1
Due to PAH being considered a rare condition that often presents with non-specific symptoms, it may be difficult to know whether your patient is appropriate for referral to a PAH expert centre.1,2 In such cases, it may be helpful to build your case for referral using PH Connect.
PH Connect is an online tool designed to support Australian healthcare professionals in referring suspected PAH patients to PAH expert centres for diagnosis and treatment. If you have a patient with unexplained dyspnoea or other symptoms that may be indicative of PAH, you can use PH Connect to help build a case for referral to a PAH expert centre or gather information that can be helpful in a consultation with a PAH Expert.
The flowchart below outlines when to consider referring your patient. After referral, you should engage in a shared-care team approach with the PAH expert centre for ongoing management of your patient.
Condensed ESC/ERS diagnostic algorithm for PH3
