Dos and don'ts for practice management: Making your referral process more effective

You probably have a smooth process for referring patients to specialists. However, is it as effective and efficient as it should be? Could you make changes that would virtually ensure:

• Greater patient trust?
• Higher patient retention?

The answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Create better interoffice communication. Any patient who is referred for interdisciplinary care should trigger a conversation between the two offices. All too often written communication goes unread or simply lands in a file and certain factors are overlooked, such as predisposition to care, personality type, dental background, etc. -- all of which can compromise patient care. Better communication can eliminate such possibilities.

Don't make the process difficult for the patient. In many cases, patients are either unsure of their next steps or delay treatment long enough to have complications before they arrive. It is beneficial for the practice to actually make the next appointment at the specialty practice for patients while they are still in your office so there is no question about whom they are to see and when.