Definition of Referral - Essay Example

The first step towards getting a referral though is either a telephone or office consultation between the two medical professionals first. Once they agree on your symptoms, the referral procedure can then take place. On the other hand, the media lexicon (“Pre-authorization”) defines a pre-authorization comes in as a prerequisite to any medical consultation or treatment on the part of the patient or physician. This is an agreement between the insurance company and the physician relating to the cost and limitations of treatment that a patient can receive without first having to get clearance from the insurance company.

This is a step that requires paperwork on the part of the clinical staff in order to determine if the treatment is really necessary for the patient to have as per the insurance coverage of the patient.