A PCP in an ambulatory setting sees a patient.
The patient has a history of recent falls and a new onset of irregular cardiac rhythms. The PCP determines that a specialist needs to evaluate the patient.
The PCP initiates a referral and uses a certified EHR to prepare a consultation request for a specialist.
The sending provider uses his or her EHR to generate and sends a referral summary to the specialist that includes information the specialist will require to provide care to the patient.
The specialist receives the referral request and reviews the referral summary document that includes the reason for the patient's visit.
- If the patient already exists in the specialist's EHR, then, during the patient's visit, the specialist performs clinical (medication, medication allergy, and problem) information reconciliation to ensure that the existing patient's electronic chart is up to date with the referred patient's active medications, medication allergies, and problems lists, including any new medications prescribed during the visit.
- If the patient is new to the practice, the specialist or practice staff incorporates relevant information obtained from the transition of care/referral summary into the EHR system to create a new patient record, which is verified when the patient arrives for his or her visit.
