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A recent study published in JAMA Network Open examined whether patients follow up on referrals and diagnostic tests after telehealth visits. The study found that many patients do not complete recommended tests or specialist referrals, especially when the appointments are conducted via telehealth. Rates of follow-up were lower for telehealth visits compared to in-person visits, particularly for colonoscopies. The study suggests that clinicians should be aware of the need for follow-up after telehealth visits and consider implementing systems to track and remind patients about referrals and tests. Education and communication with patients are also key to ensuring follow-through on recommendations. [Extracted from the article]

"Apartment 7A" is a prequel to the novel and film "Rosemary's Baby," set before the events of the original story. The film follows an aspiring Broadway star who moves into a building and becomes involved with her mysterious neighbors, who seem overly attentive to her. The prequel explores what might have happened before the events of "Rosemary's Baby" and delves into the backstory of the characters. While some may view the proliferation of prequels as a cheap way to exploit audience recognition, "Apartment 7A" is a stylish and well-executed effort at recycling the original story. However, the film's predictability may be a drawback for viewers familiar with "Rosemary's Baby." [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the review of the medical travel policy in the Northwest Territories (NWT). Medical travel is seen as a useful resource for individuals who require services not available in their home communities. However, the policy is not perfect, and there have been complaints about various issues such as escort decisions, valid medical referrals, and prior approvals. The Minister of Health and Social Services has stated that the policy is being reviewed to make it more compassionate. The article also highlights the challenges faced by individuals in accessing medical escorts and the need for improvements in the policy. Additionally, the article touches on the affordability crisis in the North and the importance of strong public services and union solidarity in addressing these challenges. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the increase of referrals in drug treatment centers for patients with drug, pain-pill and heroin addiction in Staten Island, New York City. Topics include the insights of director Luke J. Nasta of Camelot of Staten Island on preying vulnerable patients by opportunistic people during the time of stress, the drug treatment through court order, and the law that prohibits the paid referrals on the addiction treatment field and mental health.

The article focuses on the ethnic minority doctors and the issues of negligence and referral bias against them in the institutions, informing that the British International Doctors Association (BIDA) Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) doctors referral needs more research concerning the complaints.

The article discusses issues related to out-of-network care for U.S. health insurance holders in 2013, such as balance billing from doctors not covered by insurance, regulations from the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and referrals to specialists. State versus federal laws on balance billing, hospital invoices, and the experiences of Raquel and Michael D'Andrea when their infant daughter needed heart surgery are discussed.

This article discusses a study which examined the use of a screening tool to improve referrals for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implant.

The article reports on a disagreement between United Health Group Inc. and many of the 52,000 physicians in its U.S. network. The disagreement centers on a new policy from the company which threatens to fine doctors for referring patients to out-of-network laboratories for tests. The disagreement has created a public relations problem for the company and a demand from the American Medical Association to rescind the policy.

Reports on a way in which doctors can profit on medical imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scanning. Meeting of cardiologists, neurologists and cancer specialists where Imaging Solutions Incorporated proposed that doctors send patients to one of its centers; Statement that the center would charge doctors a flat rate per scan and the doctors could bill insurers at the going reimbursement rate in their area; Statement that it is a federal crime for health care providers to compensate doctors for referrals; Suggestion that the doctors' almost assured profits under some imaging-center contracts might be considered illegal inducement for referral; Issue of self referral, in which doctors refer patients to businesses in which they or relatives have a financial stake. INSET: Healthy Margin.

The article focuses on several common misconceptions and facts that discourage people to visit a physical therapist including the need for referral, pain, and the coverage of physical therapy in insurance.

The article focuses on the study conducted by the investigators from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which revealed that doctors who gain profit from radiation therapy more often prescribe such treatment to prostate cancer patients.

The article reports on the state of emergency in terms of the health care service in India, tackling on how Patna Medical College and Hospital become a referral hospital.

The author discusses the compliance of medical contracts with the Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute, along with the New York State Public Health Law or Physician Self-Referral Laws.

The article reports that the Department of General Surgery of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan has added its name to the list of eight surgical departments pooling in the province that tracks patient referrals of all doctors.

A response from the author of the article "When referring, consider your optometric colleagues" in the June 2012 issue is presented.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "When referring, consider your optometric colleagues," by Michael D. DePaolis, in the June 2012 issue.

The article reports that two U.S. Senators have urged several health insurance companies and clinical laboratory provides in Orange County, California to exchange referrals for cheaper prices on laboratory services.

Laura Sweet was an active, upbeat 42-year-old saleswoman living in Santa Monica, Calif., when the agony first started -- debilitating, flaring pains in her pelvis that lasted for days and recurred periodically. The discomfort resulted in many visits to the emergency room, referrals to various specialists, wrong diagnoses and a daily cocktail of painkillers. Her once-sunny disposition turned morose, and her vigorous workouts declined to a measly 20 minutes of walking a day. When one doctor's tests revealed no explanation, Ms. Sweet said, he told her she had ''chronic pelvic pain and I should learn to live with it.'' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the role of primary care providers in cancer care. Primary care providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, are often the first to suggest cancer diagnostics or inform a patient of symptoms. They refer patients to other specialists or services when necessary. They can also do the screening themselves, like doing Pap smears or breast examinations.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Consider Referrals to Fellow Optometrists" in the May 2009 issue.

To the Editor: Re ''Referral System Turns Patients Into Commodities'' (Essay, May 25): Dr. Sandeep Jauhar suggests that a single payment to the doctor per year per patient would remove the financial incentive to provide unnecessary care. However, such a payment shifts the underwriting of health care to the doctor and provides a financial incentive for the doctor to provide less care -- exactly the situation that we criticize the insurance companies for in the current system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents the views of several people on whether providers should be given permit to deny medical service based on moral grounds. Social worker Maya Amichai believes that doctors should be obliged to make referrals if they will not perform a specific procedure. On the other hand, student Tattiana Smith stresses that doctors can make judgments some cases but should be based on financial aspects and not on moral grounds.

The article discusses how carefully evaluated vision plans can provide benefits to an optometry practice. It states that these plans drive new patients, as well as their potential referrals, to the office, which decreases the need for advertising. It talks about how these plans can increase the marketability of a practice to a new associate. It explains how to determine the profitability of a vision plan.

The article explains the uses of consultation codes. According to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) requirements, a consultation code may be used if the referral came from another health care professional or an appropriate source such as a social worker. If the referral came from a relative or a friend, one may choose between one of the evaluation and management service codes or one of the general ophthalmological service codes.

This article reports on the importance of a working knowledge of U.S. government regulations on financial relationships between medical entities to avoid costly litigation, according to vascular surgeon and a professor of law O. William Brown. During a presentation at the 2008 Vascular Annual Meeting, Brown explained that physicians are prohibited from referring a patient to an entity if the physician or a family member has a financial relationship with that entity under the Stark law. A civil penalty of $15,000 faces violators of the Stark law.

The article reports on the benefits of electronic medical records (EMRs) for patients of the Greater Newport Physicians in Orange County, California. Electronic medical records (EMRs) including electronic prescriptions and online referrals allowed physicians to gain access to a patient's chart to answer questions and share data. It updates health maintenance and preventive care and save time with the documentation of the patient's visit thus allow physicians to offer quality care for patients.

The article reports that Boca Raton radiologist Fred Steinberg has agreed to pay $7 million fine to settle charges against him for allegedly billing for unperformed computed tomography (CT) scans and offering payments to physicians to refer patients to his imaging centers in Florida. According to whistleblower lawsuit and federal prosecutors, a number of inducements were utilized by Steinberg to gain referrals. The federal government revealed that the center also performed CT scans and ultrasound examinations that were not ordered by doctors.

The article provides information on the Consumer Access to Physical Therapy bill signed into law by New York State Governor George Pataki. Under the state law, New York patients who need physical therapy can go directly to their therapist without a referral from a physician. According to R. Scott Ward, president of the American Physical Therapy Association, direct access helps to remove unnecessary barriers to health care and gives consumers a choice in assessing physical-therapist services.

Reports that Canada's publicly financed health insurance system has already emerged as the dominant issue of the imminent national election campaign. Decline in satisfaction with medical services; Release of a plan that would reverse modest privatization of diagnostic services and substantially increase federal aid to the provincial governments that manage the health care system; Median waiting period for a referral from a family doctor to a specialist.

Reports that chief executive officer Barry Weinbaum of Alvarado Hospital Medical Center and Tenet HealthSystem Hospitals Inc. have pleaded not guilty on federal charges of paying illegal kickbacks to physicians for patient referrals in Sand Diego, California. Accusations of paying millions of dollars to recruit doctors to the East County service in Alvarado in exchange for referring patients to the La Mesa hospital; Legality of the relocation agreements; Concerns on the billing practices of the hospital.

Reports that the United States Justice Department joined a private lawsuit filed against Tenet Healthcare Corp., that accused it of paying above fair market salaries to physicians to induce them to refer patients to a Tenet hospital in Florida.

Discusses efforts of federal health authorities to control costs and conflict of interests. Details of settlement by health company T2 Medical of Alpharetta, Ga.; Information on payment by company to physicians for clinic referrals; Details of company letter to doctor-investors; Information of company stocks; Description of investigation of company by Federal grand jury.

Relates that health-maintenance organizations are addressing the problem of convoluted patient-referral procedures. How the procedures are a common source of patients' complaints; How Monarch Health System changed its procedures; PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. reviewing its protocol; How United HealthCare Corp.'s Open Access plan, which doesn't require specialist referrals, is the fastest-growing program in the company.

Reports on a study published in the `New England Journal of Medicine' which found that published reports evaluating the performance of cardiac surgeons in Pennsylvania have little or no effect on the referral practices of a vast majority of cardiologists in that state. Possible effect of discouraging cardiac surgeons from taking on risky cases for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.