Referral Procedures and Advice

Referral Procedures

• Eligible staff with a medical problem should consult a doctor in the UHS. If there is medical necessity,
  the doctor will refer the staff to consult a specialist in the UHS panel, and the specialist may admit the
  staff into hospital if required.

• Every time before visiting specialist, patients should get a referral letter from UHS physicians, otherwise
  the medical fees cannot be reimbursed under MBS.

• After each specialist visit, patients should return the reply slip to the UHS as soon as possible.

• Upon receiving the reply slip, the UHS physician will issue a fresh follow up referral letter, which patients
  can collect after three working days.

• Any referrals made for second opinion are non-reimbursable under the MBS.

• Note: Medical expenses on visits to specialists / hospitalisations outside the UHS panel list will not
  be reimbursable under the MBS.

Referral Advice

• The UHS mainly provides primary care service to patients. If the patient’s clinical condition has gone beyond the scope of primary care and requires care from a specialist, the UHS doctor will refer the patient to a specialist.

• When the patient consults the specialist, the specialist takes overall care of the clinical condition of the patient, including the treatment plans and arrangement of investigations for the patient.

• Different specialists have their different network of partners of imaging and investigation. The UHS is not privy to such information.

• For matters related to the treatment plans by the specialist, including imaging, the UHS is not involved on the clinical side and is only responsible for processing reimbursement upon receiving applications from patients.