E-referrals in optometry: Improving referral visibility, efficiency and patient care

More than 7,000 optometrists are employed across Australia’s healthcare system, undertaking over 11 million eye examinations each year¹. As the first point of contact for ~80% of Australians with concerns about their vision or eye health, optometrists play an integral role in detecting, diagnosing and managing their eye condition(s)².

Local and international data suggests that optometrists refer 3-9% of their patients, which equates to approximately one million referrals per year by Australian optometrists^3,4. Thanks to digital health transformation, secure e-referral systems are helping optometrists replace fax, post and email with more reliable and traceable communication with ophthalmologists, GPs, hospitals and other specialists.

A pivotal example is underway in Tasmania, where Primary Health Tasmania and the Tasmanian Department of Health leading the rollout of eReferrals in optometry using HealthLink SmartForms. Previously, referrals into the public system were most often sent by email, fax or post, creating potential delays, limited visibility and additional follow-up work for clinicians.

The HealthLink SmartForms rollout allows optometrists to send referrals directly into the public health system, including into the clinical software used by public hospital ophthalmology services. The platform also improves visibility and efficiency for optometrists, who receive instant notification of receipt alongside updates on whether a referral has been accepted or declined. The system also supports two-way communication, allowing hospital triage teams to request further information from the referring optometrist when needed.

For optometrists using platforms such as Oculo, referrals can be exported as PDFs and uploaded directly into the HealthLink SmartForm workflow, helping practices integrate eReferrals into existing clinical processes.

The benefits extend well beyond convenience. More connected digital referral systems can:

• reduce delays in patient care
• improve transparency and referral traceability
• strengthen communication between clinicians
• reduce duplication and administrative follow-up
• support safer and more secure transmission of clinical information
• improve integration between optometry, general practice, hospitals and ophthalmology
• provide stronger audit trails and referral governance.

Tasmanian optometrists involved in the rollout have reported positive experiences, particularly around instant receipt notifications, reduced uncertainty regarding referral status, and improved communication with hospital eye services.

Initiatives such as this also highlight the growing need to ensure optometry is fully embedded within broader national digital health reform. As healthcare increasingly moves towards interoperable electronic systems, optometrists must be included in digital referral infrastructure, secure messaging frameworks, My Health Record integration, e-prescribing and future connected care initiatives. Given the central role optometrists play in chronic disease detection, preventative healthcare and collaborative care pathways, digital exclusion risks creating fragmentation across the patient journey.

The Tasmanian experience demonstrates how relatively practical digital health improvements can deliver meaningful benefits for clinicians, health services and patients alike. It also provides a broader glimpse into the future of connected eyecare, where referrals are not only transmitted securely, but become part of a more integrated, visible and collaborative healthcare ecosystem.

Tasmanian optometrists interested in accessing eReferrals can contact Primary Health Tasmania’s Digital Health team via email: providersupport@primaryhealthtas.com.au. At the time of writing, access to the My HealthLink Portal is available at no cost, although this may change in future.

References

1. Services Australia. MBS Item Reports: 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. Canberra: Australian Government; 2024 [cited 12 March 2026]. Available from: https://medicarestatistics.humanservices.gov.au/statistics/mbs_item.html

2. Optometry Australia. Working Together for Better Eyecare, Optometry Australia. 2021 [cited 12 March 2026]. Available from: https://www.optometry.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Working-Together-for-Better-HealthCare-update-16Aug2021-update.pdf

3. Evans BJW, Edgar DF, Jessa Z, et al. Referrals from community optometrists to the hospital eye service in England. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt. 2021 [cited 12 May 2026];41:365–377. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12772

4. Dobbelsteyn D, McKee K, Bearnes RD, et al. What percentage of patients presenting for routine eye examinations require referral for secondary care? A study of referrals from optometrists to ophthalmologists. Clin Exp Optom. 2015 [cited 12 May 2026];98:214–217. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1111/cxo.12255?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed