Specialty Care Referral FAQs

A referral is when you are directed by one health provider to another, requesting you be diagnosed or treated for a particular condition. This referral is usually made by your primary care provider, who can help identify when a specialist is needed and the appropriate time to be referred to a specialty office. HMG has over 30 specialties and services that work together to meet your unique health needs. Learn more on our specialties and services page.

While some specialty offices and insurance carriers require a referral, others do not. This is largely determined by your individual insurance coverage and the type of specialist and service you need. To learn more about which HMG specialty offices and insurance carriers require a referral, you can discuss your options with your primary care provider or directly call the specialty office for guidance. Be sure to have your insurance information on hand.

If your insurance carrier or the specialty office requires a referral, you will need to discuss your treatment needs with your primary care provider. If it is determined that you require the care of a specialist, your primary care provider will coordinate the referral to address your health needs.

No. HMG’s specialty offices accept referrals from primary care providers outside of HMG.

Yes! While we recognize and respect your choice in who and where you seek care, there are several benefits for patients treated within our family of care. Being within one organization, we work quickly and closely to share information, collaborate on diagnoses and develop the best treatment plans. HMG’s FollowMyHealth Patient Portal also offers both you and all of your providers the ability to securely access your electronic medical records in one easy-to-find place. This means simpler care and better outcomes!

If you don’t have a primary care provider, you may be able to self-refer. To confirm which specialty offices and insurance carriers accept self-referrals, call the specialist’s office to discuss your options.

For the specialties that do not accept self-referrals, you can call (877) HMG-1817 to request to become a new patient of one of our available primary care providers. Once you are set up with your new HMG primary care provider, you can discuss your specialty referral options with them.

Once a referral is sent, the HMG specialty office will begin to process your request. To complete this process, the specialist may need access to review your patient records, lab results, and scanned images such as x-rays. Once this is done, the specialty office will reach out to schedule an appointment for you and will likely have you fill out some additional forms that can be downloaded online, or mailed to you.

If you do not already have a referral, start by contacting your primary care provider’s office to schedule an appointment to discuss your referral request.

If you already have a referral that has been sent, call that specialty office for specific information and instructions for your upcoming appointment.