Question

in the referral process the total number of visits decided by---and approved by__​

Answer 1

Answer:

A referral, in the most basic sense, is a written order from your primary care doctor to see a specialist for a specific medical service. Referrals are required by most health insurance companies to ensure that patients are seeing the correct providers for the correct problems. While this may seem to some like an extra, unnecessary step, failure to obtain the necessary referral before seeing a specialist can result in coverage not being applied to a visit or service, and costs being passed on directly to the patient.

Answer 2

Answer:

Results: Specialists more often received information before the referral visit from intervention PCPs versus nonintervention PCPs (62 percent vs. 12 percent, P <0.0001), a finding that persisted after adjustment (OR = 3.3, P = 0.008). Intervention PCPs more often received return communication from specialists (69 percent vs. 50 percent, P = 0.08), a finding of borderline statistical significance. Finally, patients of intervention PCPs were more likely than patients of control PCPs to report that specialists had received information before their visit (70 percent vs. 43 percent, P = 0.007).

Explanation:

Objectives: Poor outpatient referral communication is an important quality and safety issue. We implemented an electronic referral tool to analyze its impact on communication between primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists. Methods: We studied one practice site that implemented the referral tool and one that did not and surveyed affiliated specialists, PCPs, and patients about referral communication. Results: Specialists more often received information before the referral visit from intervention PCPs versus nonintervention PCPs (62 percent vs. 12 percent, P <0.0001), a finding that persisted after adjustment (OR = 3.3, P = 0.008). Intervention PCPs more often received return communication from specialists (69 percent vs. 50 percent, P = 0.08), a finding of borderline statistical significance. Finally, patients of intervention PCPs were more likely than patients of control PCPs to report that specialists had received information before their visit (70 percent vs. 43 percent, P = 0.007). Conclusion: Referrals are a key outpatient transition of care. Facilitating transmission of referral information electronically can improve physician communication.