Acute Otitis Media (AOM) (ENT) (PAED)

PAEDIATRIC

  • If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or follow local emergency care protocols or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

    • Any suspicions of the complications of ASOM i.e. Mastoiditis (proptosis of pinna), meningitis etc

    • Refer to HealthPathways or local guidelines
    • If ear discharge is present, swab for M/C/S
    • Adequate analgesia
    • If child wears a hearing aid, consider impact of the condition on the ability to wear the device
    • Antibiotics if less than 6 months old, high risk population group or failure to improve in 24 hours < 2 years old, or failure to improve in 48 hours in > 2 years old
    • Consider diagnostic audiology assessment if ongoing episodes (where available and not cause significant delay)
    • Clinical urgency is the dominant consideration in the prioritisation of a referral for a child currently in out of home care (OOHC), or at risk of entering or leaving OOHC.

    Clinical resources

    Patient resources

Minimum Referral Criteria
Category 1
(appointment within 30 calendar days)
  • Acute otitis media in a child with a cochlear implant
  • A child currently in out of home care (OOHC) or at risk of entering or leaving OOHC, where they have previously been on a waiting list for this problem and were removed without receiving a service
Category 2
(appointment within 90 calendar days)
  • Suspicion of complicated otitis media e.g. cholesteatoma
  • Painful or smelly discharging ears despite topical antibiotic (first line) and/or PO antibiotic therapy (second line) for 5 days
  • Children with physical/structural/ medical comorbidities e.g. cleft palate, craniofacial abnormalities, diabetes, SNHL where there is clearly documented recurrent AOM (rAOM) >3 in 6 months or >4 in 12 months
  • Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Category 3
(appointment within 365 calendar days)
  • Clearly documented RAOM >3 in 6/12 or >4 in 12/12
  • Acute suppurative OM with ear drum perforation with persisting concerns > 6 weeks
  • Recurrent AOM (rAOM) More than 3 episodes of acute otitis media in 6 months or
  • Recurrent AOM (rAOM) More than 4 episodes of acute otitis media in a 12-month period

Please insert the below information and minimum referral criteria into referral

1. Reason for request Indicate on the referral

  • To establish a diagnosis
  • For treatment or intervention
  • For advice and management
  • For specialist to take over management
  • Reassurance for GP/second opinion
  • For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
  • Reassurance for the patient/family
  • For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
  • Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

2. Essential referral information Referral will be returned without this

  • Medical management to date
  • Dates of episodes
  • Details of comorbidities that put child at higher risk of developmental issues (eg. SNHL, cleft palate, craniofacial abnormalities, syndromes, diabetes etc.) (if applicable)
  • Details of speech, developmental, behavioural, or educational risk due to recurrent AOM
  • Confirmation of OOHC (where appropriate)
  • Indigenous Status

3. Additional referral information Useful for processing the referral

  • Duration of condition and antibiotics used to treat condition
  • Ear swab M/C/S results
  • Previous audiology reports and/or audiograms (where available and not cause significant delay)
  • Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Peoples Health Assessment (MBS Item 715) ear and hearing assessment

4. Request

  • Patient's Demographic Details

    • Full name (including aliases)
    • Date of birth
    • Residential and postal address
    • Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
    • Medicare number (where eligible)
    • Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
    • Preferred language and interpreter requirements
    • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

    Referring Practitioner Details

    • Full name
    • Full address
    • Contact details – telephone, fax, email
    • Provider number
    • Date of referral
    • Signature

    Relevant clinical information about the condition

    • Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
    • Physical findings
    • Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
    • Body mass index (BMI)
    • Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
    • Current medications and dosages
    • Drug allergies
    • Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

    Reason for request

    • To establish a diagnosis
    • For treatment or intervention
    • For advice and management
    • For specialist to take over management
    • Reassurance for GP/second opinion
    • For a specified test/investigation the GP can't order, or the patient can't afford or access
    • Reassurance for the patient/family
    • For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
    • Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary

    Clinical modifiers

    • Impact on employment
    • Impact on education
    • Impact on home
    • Impact on activities of daily living
    • Impact on ability to care for others
    • Impact on personal frailty or safety
    • Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander

    Other relevant information

    • Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
    • Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
    • Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)

  • If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or follow local emergency care protocols or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

    • Please note that where appropriate and where available, the referral may be streamed to an associated public allied health and/or nursing service.  Access to some specific services may include initial assessment and management by associated public allied health and/or nursing, which may either facilitate or negate the need to see the public medical specialist.

    • A change in patient circumstance (such as condition deteriorating, or becoming pregnant) may affect the urgency categorisation and should be communicated as soon as possible.

    • Please indicate in the referral if the patient is unable to access mandatory tests or investigations as they incur a cost or are unavailable locally.

Last updated: 16 January 2025

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