The main workflow, step by step
One referral is followed here from the referring clinic to the report coming back. Select a step to open its screen. The clinics, clinicians and the case are invented, and nothing shown is medical advice.
New referral
REF-18266Sent- To
- Cardiology outpatient service
- Reason
- Assessment requested
- Priority
- Routine, as judged by referrer
- Attached
- Letter and two test results
Off the pathThe referral cannot be sent while a document the receiving service requires is missing, and the form says which.
Triage
REF-18266Accepted| Check | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Information complete | Yes |
| Appropriate service | Yes |
| Priority after review | Raised to soon |
Off the pathA referral better suited to another service is redirected with a note, and the referrer is told where it went.
Appointment
REF-18266Patient contacted| Step | State |
|---|---|
| Invitation sent | By message and letter |
| Patient response | Awaited |
| Reserved slot | Held for a limited time |
Off the pathIf the patient cannot be reached after the agreed attempts, the referrer is informed instead of the referral lapsing quietly.
My referrals
This monthOne needs action| Patient | Service | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Patient A | Cardiology | Appointment booked |
| Patient B | Dermatology | More information asked |
| Patient C | Physiotherapy | Seen, report ready |
Off the pathA request for more information reopens the same referral for the referrer, so the answer stays with the case.
Outcome
REF-18266Report sent- Seen
- Attendance recorded
- Report
- Shared with the referring clinician
- Follow-up
- Back to referrer's care
- Record
- Closed with full history
Off the pathA patient who does not attend is recorded, and the referrer decides with the service whether to rebook or close.
Who uses it, and what each role can do
Referrals pass between organizations, each responsible for its own patients' information. Access is therefore tied to involvement in a specific referral.
| Role | Sees | Can do |
|---|---|---|
| Referring clinician | Referrals they sent, with status and reports | Refer, answer queries and receive the outcome |
| Referring practice staff | The practice's referrals, without clinical detail they do not need | Prepare referrals and follow their progress |
| Triage clinician | New referrals for their service | Accept, prioritize, redirect or ask for information |
| Booking team | Accepted referrals awaiting an appointment | Contact patients and book |
| Specialist | Referrals for patients they will see | Review, record attendance and send the report |
| Service manager | Volumes, waiting times and bottlenecks | Adjust forms, pathways and capacity |
When the work leaves the usual path
Referrals go missing at the edges: the wrong service, the unreachable patient, the report never sent. The portal gives each of those an ending.
| Situation | What the system does | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Required document missing | Blocks sending and names what is needed | Referring clinician |
| Wrong service chosen | Redirects the referral and tells the referrer | Triage clinician |
| More information needed | Reopens the referral for the referrer | Referring clinician |
| Patient cannot be reached | Informs the referrer after agreed attempts | Booking team |
| Patient does not attend | Records it and asks for a decision | Referring clinician |
| Report not sent after the visit | Reminds the specialist, then the manager | Service manager |
What it connects to
Both ends of a referral usually have a records system. Connecting them is what removes retyping, and it depends on what each system and each country's rules allow.
| System | What moves | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Referrer's records system | Patient details and documents into the referral | Into the portal |
| Receiving records system | Accepted referrals in, reports out | Both ways |
| Scheduling system | Available slots and booked appointments | Both ways |
| Patient messaging | Invitations and reminders by agreed channels | Out of the portal |
| Identity services | Verified sign-in for clinicians | Into the portal |
What a first release includes
Referral forms by service
Forms per specialty that ask for the information triage needs, with required documents.
Triage workspace
A queue with accept, redirect and query actions, priority setting and time since receipt.
Status for referrers
A list of each practice's referrals with their current stage and any action needed.
Patient booking
Invitations, reminders and booking, by the patient online or by the booking team.
Report back
The outcome and report returned to the referring clinician and filed on the referral.
Access and audit
Access limited to those involved in each referral, with a record of every view.
Often added after the first release
- Advice requests that do not need a referral
- Shared care plans between providers
- Capacity and waiting time reporting
- Referrals from patients themselves
- Connection to regional referral networks
What we need from you
- The referral forms and criteria of each receiving service
- How triage, booking and reporting happen today, step by step
- The records and scheduling systems on both sides
- Your information governance requirements for sharing between organizations
- A referring practice and a receiving service willing to pilot together
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
What to do next
Tell us which services receive referrals and roughly how many arrive. We reply with a draft of the stages, the questions for your information governance lead and a proposal. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Common questions
Who is a referral portal for?
Typically a hospital, a specialist group, a diagnostic provider or a network of clinics that receives referrals from many outside practices. It also suits organizations referring between their own sites. The common problem is the same: referrals arrive incomplete through several channels, nobody outside can see their progress and the report does not always find its way back.
How do referring clinicians get access?
Each referring practice is invited and its clinicians sign in with verified accounts. They see only the referrals their practice sent. Where the practice's records system can connect, a referral starts from the patient's record with details filled in. Otherwise the clinician completes a web form. The aim is that referring through the portal takes less time than writing a letter.
How is patient information protected between organizations?
Each person sees a referral only if their role in it requires that, information is encrypted, and every view is recorded. The legal basis for sharing, the retention periods and the hosting location come from your information governance lead and the rules of your country. We implement those requirements and document how the system meets each one.
Can patients see their own referral?
They can if you want them to. A patient view can show that a referral was received, let them choose an appointment and remind them before it. What clinical detail is visible, and when, is a decision for the providers involved. Many services begin with booking and status for patients and add documents later, once clinicians are comfortable.