Rayan FaroukWith the different cases you come about in your daily work, some might be just out of your expertise. Consulting a doctor who is more experienced or specialised in the treatment is the best move here. Patient referral is a common and important medical practice. And it’s even more used within the same clinic.
Internal referrals are when a doctor refers his patient to another doctor within the same facility. It plays a critical role by enhancing patient care, reducing wasted time, and encouraging communication and teamwork between staff members.
In a dental clinic, a patient might need an extraction and while the doctor is treating the patient, they might decide to change to surgical extraction. In this case, our dentist is not specialised in surgical extractions so they will assign the patient to the in-house dental surgery specialist.
Here are some recommendations and best practices to adhere to when making referrals to guarantee the greatest results for patients:
1. Identify the need for referral
Evaluate the patient’s condition to determine if an internal referral is necessary
2. Choose the referee
Within the clinic, choose a doctor whose expertise aligns with the patient’s needs. Make sure to consider the doctor’s skills, availability and the patient’s condition.
3. Communicate with the Patient
Inform the patient of the change in the plans, and don’t forget to explain the need. Answer all their questions and doubts and convey the whole process.
4. Document the referral
Record the referral in the patient’s EMR.
As a clinic subscribed to Balsam Medico, how do you refer a patient to another doctor?
The answer is quite simple. With a few clicks, you can assign the patient treatment to another doctor and they can continue from where you stopped.
In Balsam Medico, referring a patient to another doctor within the same clinic is a streamlined process. The doctor begins by opening the patient profile and navigating to the Treatment Plan under the EMR section. From the list of treatments, the doctor selects the desired treatment. On the left side of the progress notes page, the current responsible doctor’s name is displayed. To assign a new doctor, the doctor clicks on the current doctor’s name and selects the new doctor from the list. A popup box appears, prompting the doctor to confirm the assignment by clicking ‘Assign.’ Once confirmed, the treatment is reassigned to the new doctor, who will then be able to view the treatment details and progress notes during the patient’s next appointment. This ensures a smooth transition and continuous care for the patient.
Patients might be spooked a little by the changes. Ensure patients have a positive experience during internal referrals, by avoiding any unnecessary delays in making referrals. Provide them with clear and concise information about their referral and what to expect. To take it a step further, tailor the referral process to meet the specific needs and preferences of each patient. That will ensure patient satisfaction with the process and the clinic.
To get a detailed tutorial on assigning a new doctor to the patient’s treatments, contact our Customer Success team or contact us through our many channels.
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