Educate with Our Empathy and Expertise: Maximising the chance of a “Yes!” to specialist referral

Author: Advanced Hygienist Robert

In the dynamic field of patient care, building trust and fostering a willingness to embrace referrals requires a comprehensive strategy. We integrate empathy, transparent communication, and ongoing education into our practice to overcome various barriers that patients may present when offered a referral.

Proactively Address Financial Barriers
Acknowledge potential financial concerns related to specialist care and address them proactively, before a patient can bring this up as a potential barrier. Explaining the costs as an investment into their future dental and general health. Utilising up-to-date information from the specialist practice (who will hopefully communicate this to you if asked), such as their fee guide and types of payment plans offered can help us to better alleviate financial worries, making patients more likely to accept the referral.

Collaboration with Periodontists
Cultivate collaboration with periodontists in your network, promoting knowledge exchange and case discussions. This enhances our own skills and improves communication with patients regarding the advantages of specialist care. An effective collaboration involves open discussion and consistent communication of findings and treatment plans at every stage. A Periodontist who is committed to ongoing education and offers training themselves and also has an open-door policy, is key to fostering a productive working relationship and this should be the clinician we aim to refer to.

Incorporate Our Own Specialist Knowledge
By enhancing our understanding of specialist care, we can more effectively identify cases that necessitate specialist attention. This enables clearer communication with patients, emphasising nuanced aspects of their personal condition and why this requires referral to a Periodontist. Although surgical procedures fall outside our scope, staying updated on the latest developments in periodontal surgery aids in identifying suitable candidates and explaining the rationale to patients. Demonstrating knowledge of specialist techniques, from advanced diagnostics to cutting-edge technologies like air polishing or painless anaesthesia, that sadly many of us to not have access to ourselves in our own practices, enhances patient appreciation for the sophistication of specialist care and may help increase acceptance of referrals.

Follow-up with Personalised Recommendations
Follow up with patients post-referral discussion, whether through a brief chat or a more detailed conversation. Occasionally, a patient may unexpectedly decide to accept a referral. When they are open to discussion, reaffirm the personalised nature of the recommendation. Tailor your message to their concerns, emphasising that the referral is a proactive step toward addressing their unique oral and general health needs.