Fix referral problems or update referral details
Fix referral problems or update referral details
If your referral expired, was sent to the wrong facility, lists the wrong specialist, appears closed, or cannot be found by the receiving department, you may need referral support before you can schedule care.
This article explains common referral problems, what may cause them, and when a referral can be corrected, reopened, resent, or replaced with a new referral.
Common referral issues
Referral problems can happen when information changes after the referral is placed, when records are missing, or when a referral needs review by more than one team.
Referral support may be needed if:
- Your referral expired before you could schedule.
- The referral lists the wrong facility, location, provider, or department.
- The specialist says they did not receive the referral.
- The referral shows as closed, but you still need care.
- The referral is delayed because records or insurance information are missing.
- A new referral may be needed because your care need, provider, or location changed.
If your referral expired
Some referrals are only valid for a limited time, number of visits, or specific care reason. If the referral expires before you schedule or complete care, the specialist may not be able to use it.
| Expired referral issue | What may happen next |
|---|---|
| Referral expired before scheduling | The care team may need to extend the referral or create a new one. |
| Referral expired after one visit | Additional visits may need a renewed referral or follow-up approval. |
| Referral expired after insurance review | Insurance or prior authorization may need to be reviewed again. |
| Referral expired after your care need changed | A new referral may be required with updated symptoms, diagnosis, department, or provider information. |
If your referral expired, request referral help and include the specialty, facility, original referral date, and whether you already scheduled or attended any related appointments.
If the referral lists the wrong facility or location
A referral may be tied to a specific facility, clinic, or department. If the listed location is wrong, you may not be able to schedule at the facility you intended to use until the referral is updated.
A facility update may be needed if:
- The referral was sent to the wrong Silent Hill Health location.
- You need the referral sent to a different specialist facility.
- The listed facility does not offer the service you need.
- Your insurance requires a different in-network location.
- The facility changed after an Alchemilla or Brookhaven follow-up plan was reviewed.
Do not schedule at a different facility using the wrong referral unless the scheduling team confirms it is acceptable. Some referrals must be updated before they can be used elsewhere.
If the referral lists the wrong specialist or department
A referral may be routed to a specialist, department, or care team based on the information available when the referral was created. If the wrong specialty is listed, the referral may need correction before scheduling.
| What looks wrong | What to request |
|---|---|
| Wrong specialty | Ask whether the referral can be corrected or must be replaced with a new referral. |
| Wrong provider | Ask whether the referral can be reassigned to another provider or care team. |
| Wrong department | Ask whether the referral needs department routing review. |
| Duplicate referrals | Ask which referral is active and whether duplicates should be closed or merged. |
If your provider told you to see a specific specialist but the referral lists someone else, include the provider’s instructions when you request referral support.
If the referral was sent but not received
Sometimes a referral appears complete in your portal, but the receiving specialist or facility says they do not have it. This may happen because of routing delays, missing records, incorrect facility information, or manual review requirements.
Before requesting help, gather:
- The referral specialty or department
- The provider or facility that says they did not receive it
- The date the referral was requested or sent
- Any portal message, referral number, or confirmation you received
- Any fax number, phone number, or records delivery instructions from the receiving facility
Referral support can check whether the referral was sent, routed to another department, delayed, closed, or waiting on more information.
Closed or delayed referrals
A referral may close or remain delayed for several reasons. Some closed referrals can be reopened or resent, while others require a new referral from your provider.
| Issue | Possible reason |
|---|---|
| Closed referral | The referral may have expired, been completed, cancelled, denied, duplicated, or closed because required information was not received. |
| Referral closed by mistake | The referral team may need to review whether it can be reopened or resent. |
| Delayed referral | The referral may be waiting on records, provider approval, insurance review, facility routing, or specialty department triage. |
| Needs information | The care team may need more details about your symptoms, records, insurance, referral reason, or preferred facility. |
Request referral help
Submit a referral support request if the referral details are wrong, the referral has expired, or you cannot schedule because of a referral problem.
- Sign in to your Silent Hill Health patient portal.
- Go to Referrals or Portal Help & Technical Support.
- Select Referral issue, Update referral details, or Referral status question.
- Choose the issue type, such as Expired referral, Wrong facility, Wrong specialist, Referral not received, or Closed referral.
- Enter the specialty, provider, facility, and referral date, if known.
- Describe what needs to be corrected or reviewed.
- Include any related Alchemilla emergency visit, Brookhaven discharge, provider message, insurance update, or specialist instruction.
- Submit the request for review.
Important: If your symptoms are worsening, your discharge instructions say to seek urgent care, or you believe the concern may be an emergency, call local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not wait for a referral correction.
FAQ
Can an expired referral be renewed?
Sometimes. The care team may be able to extend, renew, or resend the referral. In other cases, a new referral may be required, especially if your care needs, insurance, facility, or provider changed.
Can I change the facility listed on my referral?
Sometimes. The referral may need to be updated, resent, or replaced depending on the facility, insurance requirements, and specialist department rules.
What if the specialist says they never received my referral?
Submit a referral support request with the specialist or facility name, referral date, and any delivery instructions the specialist gave you. The referral team can check whether the referral was sent, delayed, routed elsewhere, or missing information.
Why would a referral be closed by mistake?
A referral may appear closed if it was marked complete, duplicated, expired, replaced, or missing information. If you believe it was closed incorrectly, request referral support so the team can review whether it can be reopened or resent.
When is a new referral required?
A new referral may be required if the original referral expired, the care reason changed, the specialist or facility changed, insurance requires updated review, or the original referral cannot be corrected or reopened.
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