Obtaining a temporal artery biopsy in a timely manner is critical to diagnosing giant cell arteritis, a condition which can lead to vision loss. Temporal artery biopsies are not performed in the public system, and it can be difficult to find a private specialist to do this procedure.
HealthPathways have created a new referral page to help GPs find proceduralists who are able to perform temporal artery biopsies. The HealthPathways team contacted each of the ophthalmologists, vascular surgeons and general surgeons to collate this list of providers who are willing and able to perform this procedure.
The temporal artery biopsy referral page can be used in conjunction with the giant cell arteritis clinical pathway, which was recently updated with new information about recommended prednisone dosing and long term management considerations.
We hope that this information will allow GPs to readily send patients for this critical diagnostic procedure to improve patient outcomes and improve system efficiency by avoiding inappropriate referrals to the emergency department.
HealthPathways info:
Username for HealthPathways is manchealth and password is conn3ct3d.