Referrals
Unintentional weight loss referral checklist
Baseline workup, urgent criteria, and referral note elements for unintentional weight loss.
Last reviewed 2026-01-05|weight-loss | systemic | workup
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Minimum pre-referral workup
- Document weight trend and timeframe of loss.
- Review appetite, GI symptoms, and psychosocial factors.
- CBC, CMP, TSH, and A1C.
- ESR or CRP if inflammatory cause suspected.
- Age-appropriate cancer screening updates.
Urgency tier
- More than 10 percent body weight loss in 6 months.
- Fever, night sweats, or persistent lymphadenopathy.
- GI bleeding, progressive dysphagia, or persistent vomiting.
- Severe functional decline or frailty.
- Focal neurologic deficits or new mass.
Referral packet checklist
- Amount and timeline of weight loss, with recent weights.
- Associated symptoms and risk factors.
- Screening history and results.
- Lab results and imaging already completed.
- Medications, substance use, and comorbidities.
Pre-referral optimization tasks
- Begin nutrition support and hydration strategy while awaiting referral.
- Review medications and psychosocial barriers that may be reducing intake.
- Reinforce return precautions for rapid decline, inability to eat or drink, or new alarm symptoms.