Figure 1

Specialty Referral Process. Referral process is a series of health-related events beginning when a patient has an assessment of need for specialty care, progresses to the decision to make a referral and enter into specialty care, and ends with the completion of referred care. The process encompasses communication and coordination between referring and consultant clinicians regarding tasks to be completed. The overall referral process results in a given resource utilization, quality, and outcomes for a patient.