Can Urgent Care Refer You to A Specialist?
At Columbia Clinic Urgent Care, we’re equipped to handle a variety of medical issues. If your condition requires specialized attention, our healthcare professionals can assess your situation and refer you to the appropriate specialist. We’re committed to providing you with the best possible care, whether it’s here at our clinic or through a referral to a specialist. For more information or to discuss your specific health concerns, please contact us or book an appointment online. We have convenient locations to serve you at Tibbetts St Portland, Stark Street Portland, and Tigard, OR. We also accept walk-ins




Table of Contents:
Can urgent care give referrals?
When are referrals necessary?
How long does it usually take to get a referral from an urgent care center?
What is the process through which a patient is referred to a specialist?
An urgent care center can offer referrals for a variety of specialists, depending on the nature of the patient’s condition. These include:
● Primary care physicians
● Specialists in specific fields (e.g., orthopedics, cardiology)
● Imaging centers
● Physical therapy clinics
● Mental health professionals
For instance, you might visit Columbia Clinic Urgent Care with symptoms that suggest a problem with your heart. Our urgent care center can stabilize your condition, but we would likely refer you to a cardiologist for further investigation and treatment. Similarly, if you have a complex fracture, you may be referred to an orthopedic surgeon.
The referral process typically involves an evaluation by a medical professional. Our clinic staff will then provide you with the specialist’s contact information and assist with scheduling an appointment.
Referrals are appropriate when your condition requires specialized care beyond the scope of our urgent care provider’s expertise. This may include:
● Persistent pain or discomfort
● Complex medical conditions
● Injuries that require specialist evaluation
● Mental health concerns
● Chronic health conditions
As a primary care provider, we take pride in our capacity to provide comprehensive medical care. However, we acknowledge that there are instances when a patient’s condition extends beyond our immediate scope of knowledge or capabilities, necessitating a referral to a specialist.
We also understand that surgical interventions may sometimes require specialized skills or equipment. If a patient requires surgery, we can provide referrals to our trusted surgical partners who can perform the procedure under their expert care.
In emergency situations, such as acute life-threatening conditions or trauma evaluations, we facilitate immediate referrals to ensure our patients get the rapid specialist intervention they need.
Columbia Clinic Urgent Care also recognizes the need for specialist care in managing chronic diseases like diabetes or hypertension. We can provide referrals to specialists who can offer advanced management of these conditions, ensuring our patients get the best possible care.
Mental health concerns are another area where we understand the importance of referrals. When our patients experience severe or persistent mental health disorders, we can refer them to trusted psychiatric professionals for evaluation and treatment.
At Columbia Clinic Urgent Care, our team of experienced healthcare providers is dedicated to offering the highest standard of care to our patients. One aspect of this includes providing timely and accurate referrals to specialists when necessary. Factors that can affect referral time include:
1. The complexity of the referral: The complexity of your health condition and the referral needed can impact the timeline. For instance, if your condition requires additional investigation such as blood work, imaging studies or other tests, which can be done in-house at Columbia Clinic Urgent Care, you might have to wait for the results before you can get a referral.
2. Availability of specialists: The availability of the specialist to whom you are being referred can also impact the timeline. We have a wide network of specialists to whom we refer our patients.
3. Columbia Clinic Urgent Care’s policies: We have a streamlined process for providing referrals. Our team works diligently to process paperwork, review your medical history, and consult with a physician before issuing a referral.
4. Insurance authorization: If your insurance plan requires authorization for certain referrals, this can add to the time it takes to obtain an appointment.
Our primary care physicians perform thorough examinations and review the patient’s medical history. Using this information, they determine whether a referral to a specialist within our network is necessary. They may also order diagnostic tests or consult with other healthcare professionals to gather additional information about the patient’s health condition.
Columbia Clinic Urgent Care has a wide range of specialists available to cater to different health needs. Once the need for a specialist is confirmed, the primary care doctor identifies the appropriate specialist within our network based on the patient’s symptoms and condition. This could be a cardiologist, a neurologist, an oncologist, or any other specialist, depending on the patient’s needs.
Our primary care provider prepares a referral letter to send to the specialist. This letter includes all relevant information about the patient’s medical history, symptoms, tests done, and the specific reason for the referral.
The referral letter is sent to the specialist’s office and once received, the specialist’s office contacts the patient to schedule an appointment and gather any additional necessary information.
During the appointment, the specialist reviews the referral letter, conducts a comprehensive examination, and may order further tests if necessary. Based on the findings, the specialist devises a treatment plan for the patient. The specialist communicates the diagnosis and treatment plan to the patient and their primary care physician, ensuring seamless healthcare delivery. At Columbia Clinic Urgent Care, our referral process ensures that our patients receive the most appropriate and effective care from qualified specialists within our network. However, we recommend that our patients understand their health insurance provider’s coverage for specialist referrals, as some health plans may require pre-approval or may only cover visits to specialists within a certain network.
For more information about the referral process contact us or schedule an appointment today. We serve patients from Tibbetts St Portland, Milwaukie, OR, Oak Grove, OR, Stark Street Portland, Fairview OR, Happy Valley, OR, Gladstone OR, Cedar Mill, OR, Tibbetts Street Portland, OR, West Linn, OR, Oregon City, OR, and surrounding areas.