How to ensure a smooth e-Referral Service (eRS) Process
27 March 2017
It has become apparent that since the MSK pathway was implemented, practices are experiencing a number of problems with the e-referral process. We have made a step-by-step guide to overcome these issues and ensure a smooth process.
To ensure a smooth process when using the e-Referral service, it is important to follow the below steps:
- Clinician to complete the referral form. Note: Please ensure you use the correct form as letters will be rejected
- Attach any diagnostic reports at the same time as doing the referral. Note: You cannot attach a diagnostic after the referral has been sent
- Find the service on eRS and send referral and diagnostic report at the same time
- Book an appointment on eRS. Do not give appointment information to the patient. Note: Remember this is a virtual pathway and the patient will hear directly from the service they are going to be seen by
- Once the referral is sent, review the e-referral work-list daily to check for any comments from the provider. Note: Rejected referrals are where the practice has used the wrong form
- Note: When referrals are rejected the practice must issue another unique booking reference number (UBRN) to resend the patient, as the initial form with patient details will have been deleted
- Once the referral is triaged, DMC Healthcare will book the patient into the clinic/service suggested by the clinical team and will send a letter to each patient confirming appointment time, date and location. Note: If the chosen provider has no slots available the practice will see “deferred to provider” and the patient will only receive a letter directly from the service/hospital specialty once there is an appointment available
Why are there two UBRNs for the same patient?
Following assessment at DMC Healthcare, a patient is referred to either community or secondary care and the eRS system automatically creates another unique booking reference number (UBRN). When a second UBRN is created in the same RRT period it will be linked to the first UBRN. Note: The identifier for the patient is always the one that was first created by the practice.
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