What is classified as an external referral?

An external referral is defined as a referral that involves a patient being directed to a service or provider that is outside of the originating healthcare system. A manual entry referral for self-referring patients falls under this classification because it typically indicates that the patient has decided to seek care from a provider outside of their primary healthcare network. This might include referrals to specialists or services that are not directly affiliated with the healthcare organization where the patient initially sought care.

In contrast, referrals made by an internal provider relate to cases where the patient remains within the same healthcare system, which is not classified as external. Similarly, a referral from an insurance company usually pertains to arrangements made within the provider network rather than directing a patient to an external service. Lastly, a referral requiring patient signature involves authorization for treatment, but does not directly indicate whether the referral is internal or external, hence does not define the referral type itself.