Six-month re-referral requirement for specialists to be scrapped

Doctors of B.C. president Joshua Greggain, who is based in Victoria, wrote to physician members this week to say the association has been working to streamline the re-referral process, which he called burdensome to referring practitioners, consultants and patients. The requirement for re-referrals forced patients with a family physician to book appointments just to request a referral to see their specialist again. Specialists’ offices were unable to book subsequent visits after six months until they received the required re-referral paperwork from the family doctor or other practitioner. The result was more work for increasingly busy doctors. “It’s one of the burdens from an administration of practice that has beleaguered both family physicians and specialists,” said Greggain. “This was one thing we could change and find some common interests.” Read more...