Refer Out – CareStack: User Resource Center

Referring patients to external providers is a critical part of delivering comprehensive care. A well-structured Refer Out workflow ensures accurate communication, proper documentation, and seamless coordination between your practice and specialty providers.

This guide outlines the best practices for creating, managing, and tracking external referrals within CareStack.

Summary

The Refer Out feature in CareStack allows practices to efficiently send patient referrals to external providers, attach clinical documentation, and maintain a clear record of communication.

With this workflow, your team can:

1.Refer patients to specialists or external providers

2.Attach referral letters and clinical documentation

3.Include images and patient records

4.Track referral status and history

5.Save and manage referral drafts

6.Review referral summaries after sending

Following a standardized process ensures accuracy, improves provider communication, and enhances patient care coordination.

Step 1: Access the Refer Out Workflow

Search for the patient using the Global Search Bar
Navigate to Clinical → Referrals

Step 2: Enter Basic Referral Details

Complete fields with applicable details.

Referring Provider Details:

From*: Referring provider
Location*: Referring provider’s location

Referral Details:

Send To*: Destination of the referral
- Automatically will populate Email, Business Name, Referral Provider, Specialty and Additional Information.
Referral Provider*: You may edit this to another provider if applicable.
- Automatically will populate Specialty and Additional Information

Referring Information:

Referral Date*: Date of referral
Reason for Referral
Expected Return Date
Internal Notes

Tip:

You can search providers by specialty under Send To or Referral Provider drop-downs (e.g., Endodontics) to quickly find the appropriate referral partner.

Click Next to proceed.

Step 3: Add Referral Letter

Select Referral Letter

Choose a referral letter template from the dropdown
(configured in Office Wizard, learn more here: Click here)

Complete Required Fields

Fill out any mandatory form fields
Add provider signature where required

Please Note:

This is dependent on the setting that your organization has chosen. Screenshot above is for example purposes only. Your environment will look different.

Preview and Review

Click Preview to verify the referral letter
Use Previous to make edits if needed

Save as Draft (Optional)

You may save the referral at any stage and return later.

Best Practice:

Always preview referral letters to ensure accuracy and professionalism before sending.

Step 4: Attach Clinical Documents and Images

Enhance your referral by attaching relevant patient information.

Add Clinical Images

When integrated with AEKA imaging system:

Select images
Click Upload

Add Additional Documents

You can include:

Clinical Information (treatment history, medications)
Medical History (completed forms)
Patient Information (demographics, insurance, allergies)
Patient Documents (uploaded files)

Click Next to proceed.

Step 5: Review and Send Referral

Review Summary Page

Confirm all referral details and documentation

Edit if Needed

Use the pencil icon to make changes
Click View Referral Document for final review

Send Referral

Click Send Referral

A confirmation notification will appear indicating the referral was successfully sent.

Step 6: Manage and Track Referrals

Manage Drafts

Referrals saved as drafts appear in Draft Status
Click Edit to complete and send

View Sent Referrals

Select a sent referral to view the Summary

Referral Tracker Integration

In addition to the Refer Out workflow, referrals can also be managed within the Referral Tracker.

To Learn more: Managing Patient Referrals with Referral Tracker

The Referral Tracker allows your team to:

Monitor referral status (sent, accepted, completed)
Communicate with referral providers
Track patient progress across the referral lifecycle