What happens if a patient refuses to schedule an appointment?

When a patient refuses to schedule an appointment, the correct outcome is that the provider is notified via an automatic message. This mechanism is in place to ensure that the referring provider is kept informed about the patient's decision. Notifications help maintain communication among healthcare providers and support a coordinated approach to patient care. With this system, providers can take appropriate action, which may include reaching out to the patient directly for follow-up or discussing alternative plans for the patient's healthcare needs.

In contrast, the other options imply different mechanisms that do not standardly occur in response to a patient’s refusal. For instance, automatically canceling the referral might not always reflect the clinical circumstances, and manual follow-ups by the scheduling team may not be necessary every time a patient decides not to schedule. Closing a case without notification could lead to gaps in patient care coordination, which is typically avoided in modern healthcare systems.