Statewide Referral Form and other resources

Victorian Statewide Referral Form - Revised 2006
 

The Victorian Statewide Referral Form (VSRF) is a straightforward, easy to use, electronic template for GP referrals.

The purpose is to provide a standardised mechanism for referral from General Practice to state funded health providers. The format and content is somewhat different to a routine referral letter, but with minimal effort transfer of relevant information is easily produced. GPs are encouraged to use this simple template as a replacement for the multitude of service specific referral forms.

The VSRF is the preferred format for GP referrals to primary care services funded by the Department of Human Services (DHS). This includes: Community health, Home & Community Care, Aged Care Assessment and so on. The VSRF is also suitable for referrals to hospital outpatient services where a service specific template does not already exist.

The VSRF was revised in early 2006 following consultation with a GP working group convened by DHS. The revised VSRF is far more GP friendly then the previous version - it is significantly shorter; all duplication of information has been removed as has bureaucratic language. Thanks to the following people for their input:
 

How to find and use the VSRF

A paper-based VSRF form is also available.

GPDV is organising the development of the VSRF template in other major software products, and the incorporation of the template as a supplied feature of software. We will update this website as the templates are developed and incorporated in each of the medical software products.

More information on VSRF Implementation into GP Software is available.

Guide to generating Victorian Statewide Referral Form - revised 2006

This is a brief guide to the use of the Victorian Statewide Referral Form as implemented in Medical Director.  The guide was prepared by Dr Geoff Campbell from Mornington Peninsula DGP.

• Download Guide to generating VSRF Word version (863kb)

• Download Guide to generating VSRF pdf version (150kb)

Best Practice

1. Right click on link below and select Save Target As � (Suggest AAAVSRF as this places at the top of the template list)
2. Select a location on hard drive (which you can find later, such as the desktop) and save

Download Best Practice VSRF (34 KB)

Import instructions

1. Open a New Letter and from Templates menu select Import templates
2. Locate downloaded file and open
3. From File menu select Save as. Type in an appropriate Template name and click on Save
    

Genie

A genie version of the VSRF has been developed by Russell Venn from West Vic Division and is ready to save to save to desktop or appropriate folder.
Download Genie VSRF (14 KB)

Instructions on how to open Genie file format.

Genie VSRF with sample data is also available.

GP Complete

1. Right click on link below and select Save Target As � (Suggest AAAVSRF as this places at the top of the template list)
2. Select a location on hard drive (which you can find later, such as the desktop) and save

          Download GPComplete VSRF (19kb)

Import instructions

1. Open GPComplete and then Resources Menu > Letter Writer
2. File menu > Select Modify Template > Select Blank template
3. File > Select Import - locate downloaded file and click on Open
4. File > Select Save as template - type in appropriate name and click on Save
    

Medical Director

3. Right click on link below and select Save Target As � (Suggest AAAVSRF as this places at the top of the template list)
4. Select a location on hard drive (which you can find later, such as the desktop) and save

          Download Medical Director VSRF (19kb)

Import instructions

1. Open Medical Director and then LetterWriter
2. File menu > Select Modify Template > Select Blank template
3. File > Select Import - locate downloaded file and click on Open
4. File > Select Save as template - type in appropriate name and click on Save
   For complete MD download instructions click here 

The following documents are Word sample files which will give you an outcome to how the 'rtf' file shall look upon completion in Medical Director.

• Download MD VSRF sample fields 'Word' file. (36kb)
• Download MD VSRF sample data 'Word' file. (36kb)

MedTech 32

A MedTech 32 version of the template has been developed by Dr Vaughan Speck from Central West Gippsland division.

The template has been saved as a zip file - download MedTech 32 VSRF (6kb) Save to desktop or appropriate folder.

Import instructions

1. Open MedTech 32, from the main screen menu bar select 'setup'
2. 'In/Outbox' > select 'Outbox Document'
3. From the main screen menu bar click on 'document', > 'Import Disk'
4. Information window advising you to insert diskette will appear. Unless your template is on a floppy disk click 'OK' > 'Cancel'.
5. Browse to the location of your stored/saved .mtd file > 'VSR Victorian State Ref.mtd' file > open. Another information window will appear saying 'Document retrieved from disk > 'OK'.
    

Practix

A Practix version of the VSRF has been developed by Dr Tim Foo from Monash Division. 

Download Practix VSRF (45 KB)

To use template correctly,

1. Open Practix, select 'Write documents'
2. Select this template
3. Select 'Contact' - this will populate 'referral to' field
4. Select 'Health Summary to merge' - in this section the boxes next to 'allergies', 'current medications', 'social history', 'past medical history' and where appropriate, 'results' need to be ticked to enable these fields to be populated in the final document.

Submission to Victorian DHS - PCPs strategic directions 2004-06 - Implementation Plan for PCPs (consultation paper)
This submission was developed following consultation with Victorian divisions.

Click here to access this submission located on the Policy section of this website.
 

GPDV Primary Care Program Update

Click here for current editions.