Some consultants do recommend that physicians make their own forms for consults, notes Laureen Jandroep, director and senior instructor with the CRN Institute.
Explanation: With a universal consultation form on hand, it's easiser for a physician's office to deal with connsults requests, experts say.
For example, when your office receives a phone call from Dr. X's office requesting a consultation, your office can fax back a form for Dr. X to sign requesting the consult. This extra step isn't required, but it is recommended, since it gives a physician practice extra protection. Some specialists believe that every referral from a primary care physician is a consult, but it varies by specialty, says Jandroep.
To wit: A neurologist likely will receive more consult requests than an orthopedic physician, explains Jandroep. This is because a referring physician will usually already know a patient has a broken arm, so the referral source most likely will want help treating the patient rather than confirming a diagnosis.