Guide to Enhancing Referrals and Consultations Between Physicians

Access to care is a challenge for many of our patients. The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Royal College) recognize that every possible measure must be taken to help ensure access to timely and quality medical and other health care service.
As part of ongoing efforts, the CFPC and the Royal College released a conjoint paper in 2006, to address the issue of intra-professional relationships between physiciansi. This paper identifies a number of issues and recommendations to improve patient care and professional satisfaction. The referral-consultation process is chief among the areas addressed in follow up to this conjoint paper.
There is growing knowledge and many new approaches developing in various regions of the country to improve the referral-consultation processes of care between referring and consulting physicians.
This guide on enhancing referrals and consultations between physicians is not intended to replace instruments already in place. It is complementary and may also help fill gaps where there are few or no tools in place to support good referrals and consultations, both within as well as between community and hospital settings. It is hoped that physicians will find this reference to be a valuable addition to practice.