Internal Referrals

Some instances warrant an office to send a patient to a location outside their home office for treatment. It may be as simple as to a sister practice down the road or to an outside specialist in a nonaffiliated practice. There are two very distinct ways to do this. We will first outline the first process, which is sending a patient to a sister office which is considered an internal referral.

Steps to create an Internal Referral- Outgoing

From the Treatment Plan Screen  -> Select the Procedures being referred

Click the Refer To button

Select the Internal Referral tab

Update the Radius from the default of 25 miles if needed (Calculates distance from patient address to the provider treating location where the patient is being referred)

Select the Provider Specialty to receive results – Please note that the General Dentist are listed under General Practice.

Double-click the location and provider you’re referring the patient. This will launch the Referral.

Create New Referral

In your newly launched window, the treatment that is being referred out will be present. At this point, you can attach xrays, photos, or any other document you would like the referring Doctor to see. 

Attached xrays via Apteryx/Dentiray Web via Launch Dentiray Web.   

Handwritten referrals may be attached via the Scan in Referral Form or uploaded from your PC, or Referral Type forms may be selected by clicking the Referral Form in the drop-down box. 

After everything is attached, press Send Referral.

Once you click send the internal referral, it will automatically send the referral and all attachments, including xrays, to the referred to provider’s team. They can schedule the patient directly from the Referral. 

Acting on an Internal Referral – Incoming

The office that is sent the referral to will immediately get an alert on their side. This will appear as a new number on the referral tab. Seen here:

The team is now able to access the patient’s information. Clicking on the patient’s name will open the patient overview, and they will have all the necessary information to call the patient to schedule an appointment. 

The treatment that needs to be rendered is seen under the Referred Out Procedure Codes or on the consolidated pdf attachment.

You can schedule as usual if you click on the provider’s schedule. The treatment that was referred out is automatically attached to the appointment. You only need to update the treatment duration and modify the production type.

After treatment has been rendered for the referred procedure, please remember to send the patient back to the referring Doctor for follow-up treatment or to complete any treatment that is still needed.