How to Triage Incoming Referrals

This guide will walk you through the process of efficiently triaging incoming referrals within the Lutra Health application.

1. Introduction

From accessing incoming referrals to marking the triage process as complete, follow these clear steps to streamline your triage workflow.

Header image introducing the guide on triaging incoming referrals in Lutra Health

2. Access Referrals

If you have any pending inbound referrals, a count of these will be shown on the 'Referrals' menu and when you click on this you will be taken to the referrals view.

Referrals menu showing a pending inbound referrals count and link to list view

3. Filter which referrals are shown

You can filter the view of referrals in a number of ways, including by priority, condition and status.

Referral list with filter options by priority, condition, and status

4. Status options

The view can be filtered by referral status. Until a referral has been accepted or rejected, it has a status of 'Pending'.

Dropdown showing different referral status options including Pending, Accepted, Completed

5. Sub-status labels

You can further refine filters by selecting the required sub-status label. Current label filter options include - 'Awaiting patient response', 'Pending Clinical Triage', 'Clinical Triage Complete' and 'Triage Complete'.

Sub-status filter options like Awaiting patient response and Pending Clinical Triage

6. Awaiting Patient Response

If you have a patient triage questionnaire enabled, this will have been sent automatically to the patient when the referral was created. The status will show as 'Awaiting Patient Response' until this is received. In addition to an initial notification, if a patient has not submitted a response, then they will be sent a reminder after one, three and seven days.

Referral marked ‘Awaiting Patient Response’ indicating patient questionnaire pending

7. When NO patient response is received

If no patient response is received after all reminders have been sent, then you need to take appropriate action. For example, reaching out to the patient directly, or considering for clinical triage without the patient responses. You are responsible to ensure no patient is forgotten or overlooked.

Message indicating what to do if no patient questionnaire response received

8. Pending Clinical Triage

When the referral assessment and the patient questionnaire response has been received, then the status will be shown as 'Pending Clinical Triage'. If patient questionnaires are not in use, a referral will go to this status as soon as the assessment has been submitted.

Referral status showing ‘Pending Clinical Triage’ ready for clinician review

9. Save filter preferences

You can save your filter preferences by clicking on "Save". This will then become your default view of referrals, which you can change as and when required.

Button to save the currently applied referral filters as default

10. View Referral

Click on the patient's name to access the detailed referral.

Click on patient name to open detailed referral view

11. Referral Detail

All the information provided in the referral can be reviewed.

Referral detail screen showing clinical information submitted with the referral

12. Patient Response

Where a patient questionnaire is enabled, the patient's responses to the pre-consent related questions are clearly shown. Click on 'View Response' to see the patient's answers to all questions.

Referral panel showing where to view patient questionnaire responses

13. Patient Response details

A panel will appear where all patient response answers can be viewed.

Expanded panel showing all answers to the patient’s questionnaire

14. Select Action

Once the referral has been reviewed, an appropriate action can be taken by clicking on the 'Actions' menu and determining the required next step.

Actions menu showing options to accept, reject, transfer, or edit the referral

15. Reject Referral

If a referral is rejected, then a reason why needs to be selected and a comment needs to be provided.

Dialog to select reason and comment when rejecting a referral

16. Referral Transfer

If the referral needs to be transferred to another organisation, then you can select the recipient organisation, confirm priority and add an optional comment.

Screen showing how to transfer a referral to another organisation with comments

17. Edit referral

If required, you can select the action to edit a referral, which will allow the laterality, priority and condition to be amended.

Option to edit referral details including condition, eye, and priority

18. Accept referral

To accept a referral and provide a clinical triage decision, select 'Accept'. Then complete the form to determine the required next steps for this patient, adding any additional comments as relevant

Action to accept referral and proceed to clinical triage decisions

19. Pending admin actions

Once a clinical triage is complete, the referral status changes to 'Accepted' and will not change to 'Completed' until any required admin actions are complete - for example, an appointment is booked in the relevant booking system. Filtering on 'Accepted' status identifies these referrals.

Referral showing status ‘Accepted’ with admin actions like booking needed

20. Complete triage admin tasks

Select 'Complete triage (admin tasks)' and then optionally record a note as part of setting this task as complete

Button or screen to complete remaining admin tasks for triage and optionally add note

21. Completed referral

Once the triage admin tasks are marked as complete, the referral moves from 'Accepted' to 'Completed' status and the label becomes 'Triage Complete'.

Referral list showing referral marked as ‘Triage Complete’ after admin tasks done

This guide has covered essential steps to effectively triage inbound referrals in the Lutra Health application. From viewing referral details to completing administrative tasks, you are now equipped to manage the triage process seamlessly.