About eReferral
eReferral simplifies the referral process by enhancing communication between clinicians and enabling quick and secure referrals to be sent and received through an electronic platform.
As part of the Ontario eServices Program – led in partnership with the eConsult Centre of Excellence, the eHealth Centre of Excellence is supporting the development and adoption of coordinated access and eReferral in Ontario.
Working closely with system and community partners, our team is developing an integrated end-to-end eReferral strategy focused on connecting primary care clinicians to available specialists and programs while improving communication between clinicians and patients. One of our goals is to leverage innovative technologies to create referral solutions across the province.
Visit the eHealth Centre of Excellence eReferral page for more information including details on the privacy and security.
The Stats – eReferral Across Ontario
Benefits for Senders
- Integration with most electronic medical record (EMRs), so you can send referrals quickly and directly
- Standardized referral forms are updated automatically with pre-populated information from your EMR
- Referral status updates within your EMR
- A map-based directory of available services and programs, complete with wait times where available
Benefits for Receivers
- Standardized eReferral forms ensure that you receive complete referrals, eliminating the need to request additional information from the referrer
- Some eReferral forms include integrated clinical guidelines to support best practices, e.g., when it’s clinically appropriate to request an X-ray versus MRI
- Administrative tasks are lessened, such as the need to make follow-up phone calls
Benefits for Patients
- Patients can choose to receive email notifications with referral status so they can track their referral from start to completion
- Patients can receive appointment instructions via email (i.e., do not eat two hours prior to appointment)
- Patients can confirm appointments directly from the email notifications
Are you Accepting eReferrals?
Let other clinicians know you’re using eReferral by sharing this downloadable one pager with them and encourage them to make the shift!
