Streamlining Referrals: Patient Referrals Scheduled Faster
In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, efficiency and communication are paramount. Yet, many practices still primarily rely on fax, phone, or even email to manage patient referrals.
These outdated systems often result in patients getting lost in the shuffle. Referring doctors are left in the dark and healthcare practices experience potential revenue loss due to unscheduled appointments.
It’s a costly problem, but one that has a modern solution.
The Pain Points of Traditional Referral Processes
Healthcare practices face numerous challenges when handling patient referrals through traditional means:
Lack of Transparency: When a referral is sent via fax or phone, the referring doctor often has no way of tracking whether the patient was seen or if they even scheduled an appointment. This lack of communication can strain professional relationships and hinder patient care.
Patient Miscommunication: Patients frequently forget to mention that they were referred by another doctor when scheduling an appointment themselves. This can result in referral information being lost, the practice is unaware that the patient was referred, and the referring doctor never knowing the outcome of the referral.
In our recent video, “Let’s Talk About Referrals,” Sophrona’s Kristina Slattery and healthcare consultant Lanissa Brantley discuss the data behind referrals that are not getting scheduled. This leads to incomplete coordinated care and revenue loss for practices.
However, this problem can be addressed. By implementing an online referral tool, practices could see a significant financial impact—just one additional refractive surgery referral per week could translate to an added $200K annually (based on a $4K estimate per surgery).
Don’t have time to watch the full video right now? Checkout this 2-minute highlight and subscribe to our channel to view other bite-sized video shorts.
The Solution: Implementing an Online Referral Tool
Sophrona’s Referral Portal is designed to address these pain points by providing a streamlined, efficient, and transparent referral process. With this innovative tool, referring doctors can:
Schedule Patients in Real-Time:
While the patient is still in the office, the referring doctor can schedule their appointment through the Referral Portal, ensuring the patient leaves with an appointment in hand. This not only improves patient satisfaction but also guarantees that the referral is scheduled.
Enhance Communication:
The Referral Portal offers referring doctors the ability to track their patients’ progress in real-time. As Guido Piquet, COO from Mann Eye Institute notes,
“The Referral Portal makes us better because it provides referring and co-managing ODs with a superior communication platform… They can see what’s happening with their patients in real time.
The Referral Portal also makes us faster because our surgical coordinators that are handling the inbound referrals from our external ODs have a single work list to work from.”
Create a Single Work List:
The Referral Portal centralizes all referral information into a single work list, allowing practices to handle inbound referrals more efficiently. No more lost faxes or forgotten post-it notes—everything is organized and accessible.
The Financial Impact of Effective Referral Management
Effective referral management is not just about improving patient care—it’s also about protecting your practice’s bottom line. In the “Let’s Talk About Referrals” video, Slattery and Brantley discuss the substantial revenue loss that occurs when referrals are not properly managed. They emphasize the importance of counting the cost and implementing strategies to generate and retain referrals.
One key strategy they highlight is the role of a physician liaison in building relationships with referring doctors and ensuring a smooth referral process.
By investing in tools like Sophrona’s Referral Portal, practices can create a positive experience for both patients and referring doctors, ultimately driving more business.
Conclusion: A Win-Win Solution
The traditional methods of handling referrals are no longer sufficient in today’s healthcare landscape. Patients, referring doctors, and practices all benefit from a modern solution that streamlines the referral process, improves communication, and boosts efficiency. Sophrona’s Referral Portal is that solution—providing the tools you need to ensure every referral counts.
Ready to see the impact for yourself? Schedule a demo today or contact our team to receive a free ROI calculation.
Don’t let another referral slip through the cracks—discover how Sophrona can help transform your practice.