From Dr. L. Okafor, Family Medicine · Fax, 9:18 AM
Patient
D.T., 58 · OHIP number captured
Reason for referral
Palpitations, irregular rhythm on ECG
Attached
12-lead ECG, TSH, electrolytes
Current medication list
Requested from the referring office
Missing
Semi-urgent · Holter booked before the consult
Murmurs, heart failure and valve follow-ups booked with the right echo protocol.
Checks for
Reason for echo · Prior echo · BNP if available
24-hour, 48-hour and extended monitors for palpitations and suspected arrhythmia.
Checks for
Symptom frequency · Baseline ECG · Medications
Exercise and nuclear stress tests prepared with prep instructions and contraindication checks.
Checks for
Chest pain history · Mobility · Beta blockers
Suspected white-coat or uncontrolled hypertension, booked and returned efficiently.
Checks for
Office BP readings · Current meds
New atrial fibrillation and conduction findings prioritized by risk.
Checks for
ECG · Anticoagulation · TSH
Known patients routed to the right cardiologist and testing cadence.
Checks for
Last echo · Symptoms · Recent bloodwork
01
Referral received
Fax or eReferral, typed or scanned. Ample reads it on arrival and files it as a structured referral.
02
Completeness check
ECG, bloodwork and medication list checked. Anything missing is requested from the referring office.
03
Urgency and waitlist
Exertional symptoms and high-risk findings are flagged for cardiologist review first.
04
Testing and consult booked
Echo, Holter or stress test booked ahead of the consult, with prep instructions sent to the patient.
Cardiologist review, first available slot
Exertional chest pain
Syncope with exertion
Suspected severe valve disease
Worsening heart failure symptoms
Booked within your target window
New atrial fibrillation
Palpitations with abnormal ECG
Uncontrolled hypertension
Next available with the right cardiologist
Pre-operative assessment
Stable known heart disease
Palpitations with normal ECG
Lipid management
Ample suggests. Your physicians decide. Flagged referrals always go to physician review.
“Can I have coffee before my stress test?”
“Where do I return my Holter monitor?”
“Did you get my referral?”
“I need to reschedule my echo.”
Stress test patient · 7:40 PM
My stress test is tomorrow. Am I allowed to have coffee?
Your clinic asks that you avoid caffeine for 24 hours before the test, including tea, cola and chocolate. I’ve texted you the full prep sheet.
Good to know. What should I wear?
Prep sheet sent by text
Appointment confirmed
Call summary added to the patient’s chart
Accuro, OSCAR Pro, PS Suite, Med Access, Juno and virtually any other EMR. Referrals, waitlist status and bookings stay in sync, so nothing is re-keyed from a fax.
