Referrals are used in business and medical situations to convey information about customers, suppliers, contractors, patients, and just about anything or anyone. The referral provides information about the person being referred and the specific reason they are being referred to another company, client, customer, or doctor.
Using a referral form template is a professional business approach to ensuring that the information provided is consistent, the relevant information is provided, and the referral is completed professionally. If there are multiple employees in your organization or doctor’s office, using a template ensures that everyone uses the template in the same format and provides the correct information.
What Is a Referral Form?
Referral forms are used within companies, doctor’s offices, and hospitals to provide information about a variety of subjects and people to another party. A salesman may refer a client to a supplier. A doctor may refer a patient to a specialist or another doctor for a diagnosis. There are many reasons for referring someone to another person. If it is a common occurrence, developing and using a referral form can save time for employees and ensure consistency and accuracy of the information across your organization.
What Is a Referral Form Template?
A referral form template can be used in several different business and medical settings. If you find yourself constantly referring people to other doctors, salespeople, companies, etc., you should consider preparing a template to use. Using a template will save you time and ensure that all of the relevant information is provided. Items such as your medical practice name, phone numbers, and standard patient information prompts can be included on the template. It is surprising how often the date is missed on a referral. The date of the referral is a useful piece of information many people find helpful.
It is important to include contact information for referrals between companies. Referring a customer, for example, from one company to another and using a template ensures that your company name is included and your contact information is provided.
The template can be saved on your computer or on a server that everyone in the office can use when they need it. Using a common template ensures that everyone sending information uses the same format. Anytime an update is required, update the template on the server and let everyone know that changes have been made.
Referral Form Templates & Examples [Medical & General]
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Types of Referral Form Templates
There are many different referral form templates in use. Many people will develop their customized templates to fit their personal needs for the company or medical office they work in. A few of the different types of referral form templates are listed:
- Referral Email templates
- Business referral templates
- Contractor
- Customer
- Employee
- Vendors and suppliers
- Medical referral templates
- Specialist services
- Health services
- Mental services
- Social services
Essential Elements of a Referral Form Template
The referral form template should contain the specific fields that must be filled out each time you use it. Many people will develop several templates to cover a variety of situations and referrals rather than have one template heavily populated with fields that are not used in each case. You can keep the template to one page, make it easy to read and fill it in by making several templates covering various circumstances.
The essential elements should include the following:
- Your company’s name and full address
- The title of the referral form
- The date
- Create fields for details you want to be included
- Add a space for notes, e.g., the reason for the referral
- Form number
- Other details relevant to the referral
- Space for a name, signature, and contact details.
- Many people add the date the template was created or a serial number of some sort for tracking
Once the template is completed, save it and print it out to check the format and ensure you are satisfied with the layout. Make sure the word template is part of the file name when you save it so that anyone accessing the template knows that it is the template.
How to Get Referrals?
Referrals are a great way to generate new business and attract new customers. When a customer refers you to another company, you already have an advantage on several levels. Being referred is a positive statement to the new customer. This is a company that has a good record, and someone I trust thinks that I can do business with this supplier.
When a potential customer comes to you by way of a referral, they are already partially qualified. They are interested in what you are selling, probably have seen your products already, and have been given your company’s name as someone to do business with. This situation is superior to making cold calls and trying to generate business.
Develop a referral program, always deliver value and maintain an excellent reputation as someone who delivers good value and service. Plan your networking program aimed at the ideal client. Take the time to understand their business objectives and interests. Work at converting referrals even when your pipeline is full. Referrals can often fill the void when the pipeline dries up.
Ask for a referral when business relations are well established, you have met your deadlines, and the customer is satisfied. Asking for a referral after missing a milestone is not a good idea. When a referral is provided, always thank the person or company making the referral. Acknowledge and recognize them, even offer incentives if warranted.
Some clients have specific guidelines against offering written referrals. They may, however, be willing to offer verbal referrals or at the very least talk to a prospective client of yours about the product or service you provided to them.
If you offer a suite of services or products but only sell in one area to a client, they may not be aware of the other products or services you offer. Unless you make them aware of the entire suite of products and services, they might not be able to refer clients to you simply because they are unfamiliar with the full suite offered by your company. Take the time to educate your clients.
Part of your referral program should include offering incentives for referrals, providing links on your website for clients to submit a referral. Links can be provided in your emails to clients directing them to the online referral page. Add links to online social media platforms such as LinkedIn.
Stand out from other suppliers by providing excellent service and value. You want them to remember your firm because of the highly satisfactory level of service and products you provide.
Stay engaged with your clients and contacts. Get to know your clients. As they get to know you, they will become more comfortable providing referrals to you.
FAQs
The following are a few of the frequently asked questions that many people have about referral templates.
What does it mean to get a referral from a doctor?
Your primary care doctor may refer you to a specialist to address a specific health issue. Most health insurance companies require a referral. They want their clients to be referred to the correct specialist based on the health condition of the patient.
What are the three types of medical referrals?
The most common type of referral is when a doctor provides a referral for a patient to see a specialist concerning a health issue. Self-referrals apply when a patient requests to see a specialist on their own based on the recommendations of a friend or family member. Third-party referrals usually occur when a family member requests a referral on behalf of another person who is unable to make the request themselves.
How do I get a doctor’s referral?
In most cases, the patient must be seen by a primary care doctor or family physician to be assessed and a determination made regarding the type of care that is required. The doctor can then make a recommendation regarding what health services are needed, e.g., a specialist, physiotherapy, etc. The referral may be sent by fax or letter or a prescription depending on the medical system requirements.
Do doctors get paid for referrals?
Primary care doctors do not get paid for providing referrals. Who you are referred to depends on the contacts and relationships your doctor has in the health community. Those with more experience will know more specialists in the community. Also, busy physicians tend to make more referrals to specialists since they are paid based on the number of appointments and patients they look after.
Can an online doctor refer you to a specialist?
The medical community is evolving and will continue to do, especially with the pressure of the past several years during the recent health crisis. Many primary care doctors have moved to an online video or telephone appointment to triage their patients. Many patients only need prescription renewals, which can be handled over the phone. If more investigation is needed, the patient may be asked to make an in-person appointment with their primary care physician, or they are referred for testing, e.g., x-rays, blood tests, or scans of various types, or to a medical specialist for further treatment.
How long does a doctor’s referral letter take?
The referral letter can take minutes or several hours depending on the health condition and the information required by the specialist the patient is referred to. Once the letter has been sent, visiting a lab, seeing a specialist, etc., depends on how busy the lab or specialist is and where you live. Appointments may occur within the week or can take several months for unique situations.
What is an urgent referral?
While many patients may feel their situation is urgent and suffer a great deal of stress while they wait for tests or wait to see a specialist, it is up to the referring primary care doctor to assess the situation and declare whether the patient should be seen on an urgent basis.
Health insurance companies require a patient to be seen by a primary care physician and then referred to a specialist if the health condition warrants the additional expense of a specialist or specialized tests.
If you cannot wait for a referral, you may consider going to an emergency clinic to be seen by an emergency room doctor, who will decide if further tests and care are needed. However, your insurance company may or may not pay for this additional expense.
In the majority of cases, if the medical condition is life-threatening or the condition could become worse quickly, physicians will request an urgent referral. The recent health crisis has placed extreme demands on the health care system, and even urgent referrals are not being handled as quickly as some patients would like.
What is a red flag referral?
Red flag referrals are not universally accepted or used. The practice is used in several countries by primary care physicians or dentists when they feel that your symptoms should be investigated quickly and refer you to a specialist. The intent is for you to be examined or tested within 14 days from the date of the referral.
How do you write a referral form?
Begin by selecting the appropriate referral form template that applies to the condition of the patient. Once you have found the form on the server database, resave the file under the patient’s name and begin filling it out, entering information into each of the fields indicated. Once complete, save the file and print a copy for the patient, and/or fax it to the specialist’s office.
What is a patient referral?
A patient referral is a written request from your doctor to another doctor or health provider, requesting that they diagnose your condition or provide treatment for a particular condition you may have. Referrals are required by many insurance companies to ensure that their clients are receiving the correct care for their health issues. Without a referral, most insurance companies will not provide insurance coverage.
How do you ask for a referral?
Before asking for a referral, you must do your homework. Asking at the wrong time from the wrong person can result in disappointment and embarrassment if they refuse. Here are a few pointers to help successfully in asking for referrals.
- Ask the Right People – customers that are satisfied with your service and products are good candidates. Check customer feedback to avoid asking those customers who may be less than satisfied with your service.
- Keep it Natural – asking before you finish a job or after delivering less than stellar results is not a good idea. The best time to request a referral is upon completion of a job, product delivery, etc., when everyone is celebrating the successful completion of a project.
- Approach Customers at the Right Time – choose the time for your conversation and request carefully. During a busy meeting is probably not the best time. Relaxing over a drink, finishing up after completing a successful meeting or project are probably better times to make the request.
- Watch for Happy Moments – customers have good days and bad days like everyone. Approaching them for a referral on a good day significantly increases your chances of success compared to days when events are not going well.
Why do people need referrals?
Receiving a medical referral from your primary care physician builds trust in the health care professionals you will be seeing. Many people rely on these referrals to gain access to the care they need. Insurance companies often require a doctor’s referral before they will agree to pay for medical costs associated with specialists and additional healthcare services.
Small and large businesses also rely on referrals. Trusted customer referrals are a valuable commodity. They can help build your brand, bring additional business and new customers. Building a successful marketing referral program increases the relationship with your customers.
Referrals have high credibility with other customers considering your product or services, especially when the work is completed and the customer provides a strong endorsement to other customers who are making purchasing decisions.
Referral programs work provided they are managed properly and are part of your overall marketing strategy.
How do I get referrals from existing clients?
It is important to ask your clients to provide referrals, but the question should be posed at the right time. Never request at the beginning of a job. Wait until the job is completed and the client is satisfied with the job – the price, the quality, and the timing. Asking for a referral from a dissatisfied client could hurt your business prospects.
Offer reward programs and incentives to provide referrals through your managed marketing program. Partner with other service and product providers. Initiate a conversation with your client about referrals and assess whether it is appropriate to request a referral. Stay in touch with clients throughout the job process to head off any issues and ensure the client is satisfied with the service.
Key-points
Referrals are used in many businesses and also the medical profession to build practices and meet the needs of insurance providers. Businesses use referral programs as part of their marketing tools to build the brand and build customer interest. Make the referral program part of your marketing strategy.
Health insurance companies require a referral from a doctor to a specialist before they will agree to pay for the additional medical costs. Health care specialists, in many cases, will not even agree to see you unless your primary care physician has diagnosed your condition and referred the patient to the correct specialist.
Creating a template is relatively straightforward. It saves a lot of time, ensures consistency of the information that should be included in a referral, and includes all of your contact information. Create multiple templates to use covering many situations that you encounter in your medical or business profession.
Referral templates can be pre-printed or saved on a common server for everyone in the office to make use of. Online templates are easily updated to add or delete items that may be required or no longer needed. Completing online changes ensures that everyone is automatically using the latest template.
