Dermatology Now Requires a Referral for All New Patients
- Effective June 21, 2021, all new dermatology patients need a referral. Previously patients could self-refer. Our new policy is intended to help us schedule new patients in a more timely manner with the provider who will best meet their needs. The wait time for a new patient appointment is currently four to six months.
- Common skin conditions such as acne, warts, urticaria, eczema and molluscum often can be managed in primary care, helping patients avoid the wait to see a specialist. For primary care management, the following PCP resources may be useful:
- Acne: Causes, Treatment and Referral Information(PDF)
- Acne: Algorithm (Rady Children’s)
- Eczema Action Plan(PDF) (Spanish)
- Atopic Dermatitis: Treatment Plan(PDF) (Russian) (Spanish) (Simplified Chinese) (Vietnamese)
- Molluscum Contagiosum: Causes, Treatment and Referral Information (PDF)
- Urticaria: Algorithm (PDF)
- Warts: Causes, Treatment and Referral Information (PDF)
Rehab Medicine
- New referral guidelines for Rehab Medicine are found here. Consulting the guidelines may help your patient be seen sooner and by the most appropriate provider.
- Highlights:
- Send any therapy notes with your referral (physical, occupational, speech).
- We see patients through age 20 except for concussion, which we see through age 17.
- Concussion: We see concussion patients only after they have been treated in primary care and have a referral from their provider. To know the best place to refer them at Seattle Children’s, see our Algorithm: Referring Your Patient With Concussion.
- Back pain: We do not see patients for back pain when it is their primary complaint. Please consider referring these patients to our Pain Medicine Clinic.
- Brachial plexus: Please refer these patients to our Brachial Plexus Clinic. A referral is required.
Biochemical Genetics
- New referral guidelines for Biochemical Genetics are found here. Consulting the guidelines may help your patient be seen sooner and by the most appropriate provider.
- Highlights:
- Infants referred for an abnormal newborn screen will be seen promptly. When referring a newborn for an abnormal newborn screening report, please include the screening report(s).
- Referrals for children with other disorders will typically be seen in four to six months. In some cases, we may be able to see a patient sooner by offering them an appointment with a non-physician provider.
- Autism and developmental delays: Patients with isolated autism or developmental delays who require a genetics workup should be referred to Medical Genetics. Medical Genetics will refer back to us if appropriate.
- Wilson disease: There are specific referral requirements when referring a patient for Wilson disease; see our website for a full list.
- Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG): Before sending a referral, please call our Provider-to-Provider Line and ask to speak with someone on our team; it’s a complicated referral, and we want to give you support.
- Please do not send your patient’s whole chart; send only notes and documentation specifically relevant to the disorder.
Reminder: Algorithms Are Available to Support Your Patient Care
Please visit seattlechildrens.org/algorithms to see three dozen algorithms created by our specialists with input from PCPs to support PCPs in managing common conditions in primary care. The algorithms also help PCPs know when to refer a patient to a specialist and which clinic to refer to.
Some examples:
- Endocrinology algorithms: Hypothyroid, obesity, goiter, precious puberty, short stature and vitamin D deficiency
- Nephrology algorithms: Proteinuria, blood pressure management
- Urology algorithms: Antenatal hydronephrosis, enuresis/incontinence (daytime and nighttime), phimosis, undescended testes, urinary tract infection and varicocele
- Otolaryngology algorithms: Otitis media (acute, recurrent, chronic, acute with treatment failure), pharyngitis (acute, recurrent), sinusitis (acute, chronic), tonsillar hypertrophy
- And many more
Each clinic maintains up-to-date referral guidelines on its website’s “Refer a Patient” page.
Call to Action: Visit Algorithms for Referring Providers and Referral Information by Clinic, or save this handy reference sheet with embedded links to all algorithms and referral guidelines.
For More Information: Email Physician.Relations@seattlechildrens.org.
