Receiving External Referrals

Thu, 02/25/2016 - 16:29 -- Channa Lindsay

We are contemplating how to create a secure, consistent, and easy way to receive referrals from external partners and providers. The process would be for programs such as Nurse Home Visiting and Clinical Services.


Before we initiate the QI project, I wanted to know if other health departments have implemented something similar. What do you use? Does it work well? Do you have any suggestions?


Thank you.

* Thank you for your responses so far! For additional clarification: We want to implement an electronic system that partners can access to submit referrals.  We’re trying to move away from fax, paper, etc.

up
0 users have voted.

awhite's picture
Submitted by awhite on

Channa - 

We receive referrals from community partners and providers at Humboldt County Public Health (California). We developed a referral form and all the community partners/providers fax it to a single location and one staff member is responsible for entering the referral information into the PH Nursing electronic case management system. The Supervising PHN and/or a Sr. PHN reviews the referral and assigns it to a PHN, the community partner/provider is notified of the disposition of the referral (case open, no contact w/client, refused services, etc.,). The process seems to work pretty well, although we do receive referrals that are not always appropriate for nursing and are forwarded to other services. We've recently begun outreach to community partners and providers that focuses on our target populations and program requirements, we are hoping that they will better understand our programs and will refer more appropriately in the future.

I hope this information is useful.

up
0 users have voted.

Amber White
Administrative Analyst
Humboldt County DHHS
Public Health - Nursing
awhite@co.humboldt.ca.us

Submitted by gkroberts on

Hi Channa,

You may find these other published QI projects useful, and the authors may be able to provide you with better advice. Simply, comment at the bottom of the post or email them directly. Good luck!

up
0 users have voted.

Gurleen Roberts, MPH
Director of Quality Management
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta, GA
gurleen.roberts@dph.ga.gov

Submitted by klouther on

We receive most of our referrals via fax, electronic charting system or phone.  One of our admin staff usually enters the referral into our electronic charting database and then notifies the nurse/team the referral goes to.  Then, the nurse/team assigns the referral.  For each of our programs (communicable disease, STI/HIV, TB, Perinatal, NFP), there are slightly different procedures we follow even though the referrals usually all come in via a similar route. 

up
0 users have voted.

Submitted by gkroberts on

Hi Channa, have you had any luck with this QI project? In my experience, this has been a common process improvement request and your experience may help others. Thanks!

up
0 users have voted.

Gurleen Roberts, MPH
Director of Quality Management
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta, GA
gurleen.roberts@dph.ga.gov

Submitted by Channa Lindsay on

Gurleen,

Actually, our CCO (PacificSource) is piloting the Jefferson Health Information Exchange for the region (Central Oregon). We have put our efforts on hold, and will help them pilot. I hope that this will remedy the concerns with coordination and consistency of care, etc.

 

up
0 users have voted.

Channa Lindsay

Submitted by gkroberts on

Thanks for the update, Channa. That exchange seems like something that would improve many processes! Once it is implemented, please share the link. Best of luck!

up
0 users have voted.

Gurleen Roberts, MPH
Director of Quality Management
Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Marietta, GA
gurleen.roberts@dph.ga.gov

Submitted by tkane on

Channa, 

Thank you for utilizing PHQIX to vet your idea about this project. 

I'm curious if you invited feedback (e.g., via survey, key informant interview, etc.) from referring partners during the course of this project. If so, could you please let me know what feedback they provided?

Please keep the PHQIX user community up-to-date about observations/findings from the pilot.  

Thank you!  Ty Kane

up
0 users have voted.

Submitted by Channa Lindsay on

Actually, our CCO (PacificSource) is piloting the Jefferson Health Information Exchange for the region (Central Oregon). We have put our efforts on hold, and will help them pilot. This effort does include community collaboration.

up
0 users have voted.

Channa Lindsay