Department of Medicine

Dalhousie University

Respirology

Updates

Our fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31. Average wait time information is updated based on the following schedule:

Quarter Time frame Posted
Q1 Apr 1 – Jun 30 Jul 31
Q2 Jul 1 – Sep 30 Oct 31
Q3 Oct 1 – Dec 31 Jan 31
Q4 Jan 1 – Mar 31 Apr 30

Wait times, January-March 2025

Triage category Standard wait time Average wait time

Respirology
Urgent 7 days 36 days
Semi-Urgent 42 days 90 days
Non-Urgent 70 days 174 days

 

Sleep Clinic
Urgent 14 days 55 days
Semi-Urgent 84 days 407 days
Non-Urgent 365 days 346 days

#N/A - shown if less than six encounters

 

Triage criteria and referral process for physicians

Respirology
Urgent
Criteria (not all inclusive)
  • Suspicious for lung cancer, PCP, TB
  • Initiation of home oxygen
  • Unstable asthma / COPD
  • Recurrent ER visits for respiratory symptoms
  • Hemoptysis
Process
1) FAX referral marked URGENT to 902-473-6202
AND / OR
2) PHONE 902-473-2220 “Respirologist on Call”
  • Recent chest x-ray results
  • Recent investigations, as available (i.e. Spirometry results)
Semi-Urgent
Criteria (not all inclusive)
  • Asthma / COPD – severe
  • Interstitial lung disease – not yet diagnosed
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Progressive neuromuscular disease
Process
1) FAX or MAIL referral
  • Recent chest x-ray results
  • Spirometry results
  • Recent consultation reports
  • Recent blood work/investigations
Non-Urgent
Criteria (not all inclusive)
  • Asthma / COPD – stable
  • Long standing cough
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation
Process
1) FAX or MAIL referral
  • Recent chest x-ray results
  • Spirometry results
  • Recent consultation reports
  • Recent blood work/investigations

 

Sleep Clinic & Laboratory
Urgent
Criteria (not all inclusive)
  • Nocturnal hypoventilation disorders with impending respiratory failure
  • Severe daytime sleepiness leading to an urgent public safety issue
Process
1) FAX or MAIL referral
  • Any previous sleep study or home study reports
  • Documentation of pulmonary function and/or arterial blood gases that document impending respiratory failure
  • Recent consultation reports
Semi-Urgent
Criteria (not all inclusive)
  • Severe sleep apnea in the setting of significant medical illness – i.e. congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, poorly controlled hypertension, recent stroke, etc.
  • Sleep disorders with severe daytime symptoms
Process
1) FAX or MAIL referral
  • Documentation of current medical illness
  • Wall Motion Study report or 2D ECHO report if relevant (i.e. pulmonary hypertension or CHF)
  • Recent consultation reports
Non-Urgent
Criteria (not all inclusive)
  • All other sleep apnea
  • Periodic limb movements and restless leg syndrome
  • Narcolepsy – if criteria is not met for urgent & semi-urgent categories
  • Other adult sleep disorders – REM behaviour disorder, unusual parasomnias, etc.
  • Insomnia – referrals of patient with known psychiatric diagnoses are discouraged, with request for patients to be assessed by their psychiatrist
Process
1) FAX or MAIL referral
  • The patient must complete sleep questionnaire before the referral will be processed.

 

Contact information and forms
  Respirology
Fax 902-473-6202
Mailing address Division of Respirology
1796 Summer Street
Suite 4449 Halifax Infirmary
Halifax, NS B3H 4K4
Respirologists View list of physicians
Forms Request for Outpatient Pulmonary Function Tests [PDF - 30 kB]
  Sleep Clinic & Laboratory
Phone 902-473-6222
Fax 902-473-7158
Mailing address Sleep Clinic & Laboratory
5909 Veterans' Memorial Lane
Suite 4022 Abbie J. Lane Building
Halifax, NS B3H 2E2

 

Learn more about our division
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View the Division of Respirology