Procedure for patient referral to a consulting physician:

1. Discuss referral with attending in the clinic
   
   
2. Contact the consulting physician by phone
   1. Call the office and ask to speak to the doctor when he/she is free – leave your beeper number with the office staff if the doctor can not talk to you at that time.
   2. Give the doctor a brief history as to why you are asking for a consultation for your patient, informing him/her that you are a resident in the clinic and that your patient does not have insurance.
   3. If the doctor agrees, contact the patient and have them call the office to make an appointment. Instruct the patient that if he/she has any difficulty, they are to call you. Despite the consulting doctor agreeing to see your patient, the message does not always make it to the front-desk. You can call the front-desk and inform them that the doctor did agree to see your patient.
   4. Do not tell the patient that he/she will be seen for free. Some doctors work out payment plans for the patients.
      
      
3. Write a letter to the doctor briefly discussing the problem for which the patient is being referred and the specific question that you would like to have answered. Send clinically significant data, including a summary of care.To refer a patient for GI evaluation – call 7398 and speak to the physician’s assistant who answers the phone. She will set your patient up for the needed procedure. However, you must send a referral letter to the doctor requesting the appropriate tests.

To refer to Parkland Ophthalmology Clinic for Diabetic Eye Exam : give the patient the number ( Clerk has it) and tell them it will take 2 to 3 months for them to get the appointment.

To refer to Parkland Dysplasia Clinic: Call 214- 590-5569 to make verbal referral to Parkland Dysphasia Clinic. Fax a Demographic sheet and the two abnormal pap tests to 214-590-2771. Call the patient and notify them of the referral and that they should call to make an appointment.

Referral to Parkland Clinics: see Red Book in the clinic

Commonly used referrals: