Dos and don'ts for interdisciplinary cases: Improve interoffice communication

When you refer patients to a specialty practice, you can end up alienating them -- not due to clinical issues but because the two offices fail to communicate with each other in a timely, efficient way. Unless you take the lead in clarifying exactly how you and the specialist will keep each other updated on progress and developments, both parties may end up frustrated and looking bad in the eyes of the patients.

Establish a communication plan immediately. For each referring practice, set up an interoffice communication plan. This should define what each practice's informational needs are, who will be responsible for managing the process, what means should be used (phone, email, letters), when communications should occur, and how to communicate about urgent situations. Your objective is to avoid giving patients the impression that you and the specialist aren't on the same page -- or that you're not paying attention.

Don't forget to keep patients in the loop. Out of respect for patients (and to perpetuate strong relationships with them), let them know what's happening -- even if it's routine. What's obvious to you may not be to patients.

Roger P. Levin, DDS, is the founder and CEO of Levin Group, the leading dental practice consulting firm in North America. For the complete list of dates and locations where you can attend his latest seminar, visit www.levingroup.com/gpseminars.

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