REFERRALS

If you have a PPO, rather than an HMO, you can usually schedule an appointment on your own with a specialist of your choosing within the list of specialists contracted with your health plan.  This list is available through your health plan's provider directory, often available online.  It is usually best to schedule an appointment with Dr. Petersen to see if she can provide care for your condition in a more timely fashion than a specialist, or to ask her recommendation on the choice of a specialist and the timing of such a visit.

If you have an HMO (such as Cigna, Pacificare, and some types of Blue Cross), your health plan likely requires that Dr. Petersen evaluate any new health problems you have developed before referring you to a specialist.  During this appointment, Dr. Petersen may well be able to provide interim care for your health issue until such a time as you are able to be seen by a specialist.  She can also help you choose a kind and well-qualified specialist for your condition.

Once you have consulted with Dr. Petersen about a specialist, the following steps are taken.  You choose a specialist from the Provider Directory of your health plan (published or online), then make an appointment with that specialist.  At least a week before the appointment, please notify Dr. Petersen's office of the need for a referral, with the name of the specialist and the date and time of the appointment.  Unfortunately, some health plans require that patients hand-carry a copy of their referral to the specialist appointment.  If this is not the case, and your referral is faxed to a specialist's office, please call that office the day before your appointment to confirm that they have an active referral on file for you.