Missed Referral Appointment

What Works: Effective Practices for Office-based CareReferrals
Missed Referral Appointment

Recommendation: Specialist notifies the PCP if a patient fails to keep a specialty appointment.

Source: CRICO/RMF


 Exemplary Practice

  • The specialist notifies the referring MD that the patient missed the specialist appointment
  • The specialist documents the missed appointment in the patient's medical record
  • Documentation includes follow-up actions

Benefits:
  • Promotes communication between providers
  • Enhances coordination of care across multiple disciplines
  • Provider determines the follow-up actions
In practice at: Office of Dr. Bruce Cohen


 Exemplary Practice

  • The practice accepts patients for whom it has received a faxed referral request by the referring physician.
  • The secretaries make all appointments after speaking with the patients.
  • The referring provider receives a fax /hard copy confirmation of the patient’s date and time of the appointment.
  • If the patient is a "no-show" a letter is mailed to the referring provider with corresponding documentation in the medical record.

Benefits:
  • Promotes communication between providers.
  • Enhances coordination of care across multiple disciplines.
  • Paper-based system
In practice at: Endocrine Associates (MGH)


 Effective Practice
The provider will receive an alert if the specialist is on the same EMR system and the patient failed to show for the appointment.
Benefits:
  • Automated system enables reconciliation on outstanding referrals.
  • Enhances coordination of care across multiple disciplines.
In practice at: BWH Brookside Community Health Center, Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center, Brigham and Women's Physicians Group


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