Referral To A Specialist

Specialist referral

The general practitioner can often help with many illnesses or special health issues. In most cases, she / he is the first point of contact. In the case of certain illnesses or ailments, however, certain examinations may sometimes be necessary, which the general practitioner does not have the opportunity to carry out in the ordination (e.g. X-ray, EEG). Therefore, she / he will refer or refer the patient to a specialist…

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• Transfer, assignment and instruction
• Do I need a transfer slip?
• How long is a transfer valid?
• How are the costs going to be covered?

Transfer, assignment and instruction

• With the referral, the patient is referred to another doctor for further treatment.
• When making the referral, the attending physician (usually the general practitioner) requires a specific examination that he / she cannot carry out himself (e.g. X-ray, laboratory examination). The doctor assigns the patient to another doctor with a specific examination order. The general practitioner discusses the findings with the patient.
• During the admission, the patient is admitted to hospital for further medical treatment (e.g. for an operation).

Do I need a transfer slip?

The attending physician will issue a referral slip if he / she needs to pass on medical information. The referral slip is presented together with the e-card (as proof of entitlement) to the doctor to whom you were referred.

If you want to visit a specialist directly, you can do so with the e-card without a referral.

Note In order to carry out certain specialist examinations such as x-rays, computed tomography or a laboratory, referral by a doctor is almost always required.

How often can I go to the doctor with the e-card within a quarter?

The number of direct doctor visits with the e-card (i.e. without referral) varies depending on the health insurance provider. You can obtain information about this directly from your health insurance provider.

How long is a transfer valid?

Transfers or assignments are valid for one month from the date of issue. Paper forms are currently still used for transfers, referrals or referrals, but in the future they will be processed electronically. Pilot projects are already running to test the e-transfer.

How are the costs going to be covered?

When using a contract doctor, the costs are covered by social insurance.