How to Refer Patients: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Refer Patients: A Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to refer a patient for psychiatric consultation? This guide walks you through our simple referral process, what information we need, and how to prepare your patients for the best collaborative care experience.

Referral Methods: Choose What Works for You

Option A: Secure Email Referral (Most Common)

Email director@luminousvitalitybh.com with the patient referral information outlined below. This method works well for routine referrals and gives us written documentation. We respond within 1-2 business days to acknowledge receipt and provide next steps.

Important: Ensure you have patient consent to share information before emailing. Use professional discretion about what clinical details to include – basic referral information is often sufficient initially.

Option B: Phone Call (For Urgent or Complex Cases)

Call (617) 855-9379 to discuss the referral directly with our office. Phone calls work best when:

• The case is clinically urgent or complex
• You want to discuss the patient before formal referral
• You have specific questions about appropriateness for referral
• Immediate scheduling is needed

We’re available during business hours and return messages within one business day.

Option C: Patient Self-Referral

Share our booking link directly with patients. This method works well when:

• Patient is motivated and comfortable self-scheduling
• Basic referral information will be provided at first appointment
• Patient prefers to handle scheduling themselves

Our CharmEHR booking system makes scheduling simple and secure. Even with patient self-referral, we appreciate a brief email from you with context about why you’re recommending psychiatric consultation.

What Information to Include in Your Referral

Essential Information:

• Patient name (full legal name for insurance purposes)
• Date of birth
• Phone number (best number to reach patient)
• Email address (if patient comfortable with email contact)
• Insurance information (carrier and member ID if available)

Clinical Context:

• Current diagnosis or presenting concerns (brief clinical summary)
• Reason for psychiatric referral (e.g., medication consultation, treatment-resistant symptoms, diagnostic clarification)
• Relevant treatment history (previous medications tried, current medications, therapy duration)
• Urgency level (routine, semi-urgent, or urgent)
• Your contact information for follow-up discussion

What NOT to Include (HIPAA Compliance):

Avoid sending extensive psychotherapy notes or detailed session content unless specifically requested. Keep initial referrals focused on diagnostic and medication-relevant information. Remember: even with consent, share only what’s clinically necessary for the consultation.

Preparing Your Patient for the Referral

What to Tell Your Patient

We recommend explaining the referral to patients this way:

“I’d like you to consult with a psychiatrist who specializes in medication management. Dr. Lee at Luminous Vitality can evaluate whether medications might help with [specific symptoms]. This doesn’t mean we’re stopping therapy – you’ll continue seeing me, and Dr. Lee will handle the medication side of things. It’s a team approach that often works really well.”

Setting Expectations

Help patients understand:

• Wait time: Typically 1-4 weeks for first appointment (mention current availability when you know it)
• First visit: 60-90 minutes for comprehensive psychiatric evaluation
• Follow-up visits: Usually 20-30 minutes for medication management
• Ongoing therapy: They continue seeing you regularly – this is collaborative care, not a handoff
• Insurance: Psychiatric visits billed separately from therapy (both covered by insurance in most cases)

Insurance Verification Steps

Suggest patients:

• Call the number on their insurance card to verify psychiatric coverage
• Ask about copay/coinsurance for psychiatric visits
• Confirm Dr. Ronald Lee/Luminous Vitality is in-network (if applicable)
• Check if prior authorization is required for psychiatry (rare, but some plans require it)

Accepted Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts Health Plan, Aetna, Cigna

Important Limitation: We cannot accept Medicare or MassHealth at this time

What Patients Should Bring

Patients should bring to their first appointment:

• Insurance card and photo ID
• List of current medications (including supplements)
• List of previous psychiatric medications tried (and why they were stopped)
• Names of other providers they see
• Any recent lab work or medical records (if relevant)

After You Make the Referral

What Happens Next

Within 1-2 business days: We acknowledge receipt of your referral and contact the patient to schedule their evaluation.

After the consultation: With patient consent, we send you a summary including:

• Diagnostic impressions
• Treatment plan (including medication recommendations)
• Follow-up schedule
• How to reach us for ongoing collaboration

Ongoing Collaboration

Once the patient is established in psychiatric care:

• You remain the primary therapist: Continue your regular therapy sessions as scheduled
• We handle medication management: Prescribing, monitoring, adjusting medications as needed
• We communicate as needed: Available to discuss medication effects, side effects, or clinical concerns
• We respond to urgent issues: Reach out anytime if patient is struggling with medication side effects or psychiatric symptoms

Communication Frequency

Most partnerships settle into a comfortable rhythm:

• Initial consult summary (always provided)
• Communication when significant medication changes occur
• Ad-hoc discussion when either provider has concerns
• Patient-specific frequency based on clinical needs

We’re always available if you need to discuss a shared patient – don’t hesitate to reach out.

HIPAA Compliance: What You Need to Know

Patient Consent Requirements

Before referring, ensure you have appropriate patient consent to:

• Share their clinical information with another provider
• Receive information back from the psychiatrist
• Coordinate care collaboratively

Most standard practice consents cover this, but verify your consent forms include language about coordinated care.

Secure Communication Methods Only

Always use:

• Secure, encrypted email (our director@luminousvitalitybh.com email uses secure protocols)
• Phone calls (for real-time discussions)
• HIPAA-compliant messaging systems (if you use one)

Never use:

• Standard text messages (SMS)
• Social media messages
• Unencrypted email for detailed clinical information
• Fax (unless absolutely necessary and properly secured)

What NOT to Include in Emails

Avoid including in initial referral emails:

• Extensive psychotherapy process notes
• Detailed trauma narratives
• Sensitive personal information beyond what’s clinically necessary
• Information patient hasn’t consented to share

Keep initial referrals focused on diagnostic and medication-relevant information. We can request additional information as needed during the evaluation process.

Ready to Make Your First Referral?

We’re here to support your practice and provide excellent care for your patients. Choose the referral method that works best for your workflow:

• Email us: director@luminousvitalitybh.com
• Call us: (617) 855-9379
• Send patients directly: Share our booking link

Questions About the Process?

Don’t hesitate to reach out before making your first referral. We’re happy to discuss:

• Whether a specific patient would benefit from psychiatric consultation
• Current availability and wait times
• Insurance questions or concerns
• How our collaborative approach would work for your practice

Schedule a discovery call: Book online or call (617) 855-9379

Have questions? Review our Partnership FAQ

Thank you for trusting us to care for your patients. We look forward to collaborating with you.

Office Information:

Luminous Vitality Behavioral Health
1324 Beacon St
Brookline, MA 02446
Phone: (617) 855-9379
Email: director@luminousvitalitybh.com