PILOT PROJECT:

Discharge Follow Up Appointments for the Medicine Teams

The Physician Referral Center will now be available to assist medicine teams by making discharge follow up appointments for the identified patient population:

Patients with a known Primary Care Physician or referral to Douglass Moore Clinic

Patients requiring a specialist follow up appointment

The process to request a discharge follow up appointment:

As soon as the patient is identified as needing a discharge follow up appointment, the physician will:

Call 844-7553 and make the request verbally.  The physician will identify the call as “Medicine inpatient follow-up appointment”. The physician will also need to have the patient name, medical record number, and information related to the appointment request including the name of the physician the patient should see (or the specialty) and the time frame for the appointment (e.g. 1-2 weeks).  The reason for referral is required, especially when the appointment is for a specialist other than the attending or PCP. There is a voicemail option for weekends.  Provide your name and pager number and the patient’s location so information regarding the appointment can be faxed back to the division.

OR

Access the “Request an Appointment” electronic request under “Medical Practice” on the UHHS intranet.  The physician will need to enter the following information: patient name, daytime phone number (enter 1234567 if unknown), physician appointment information, and under Other Information enter the medical record number, the reason for referral (required especially when the appointment is for a specialist other than the attending or PCP), and the division on which the patient is located (so that the referral center can fax the appointment information to the division). Under Physician Practice Information, enter your name and pager number. Once complete, submit the request.

The Physician Referral Center will make the appointment within 24 hours (except on weekends).  They will fax the appointment date and time to the patient division. Weekend discharges will be scheduled on Monday and the Physician Referral Center will call the patient at home with the appointment.

The secretary on the patient division will place the appointment in the chart to be given to the patient by either the discharging RN or physician.

The Physician Referral Center will also call the patient within 24 hours to confirm the appointment.