How My Experience as a Patient Changed the Way I Talk About eReferral

By: Jeremy Howcroft, Program Manager, Amplify Care

When we talk about digital health tools like eReferral, it’s natural to start with the evidence: less administrative burden, better referral management, and a more connected healthcare experience for clinicians and patients. Those benefits matter, and the research behind them continues to grow. But for me, the value of eReferral became much more meaningful when I experienced the referral process as a patient.

Recently, while presenting to a group of physicians about eReferral, I shared that experience from a more personal perspective. I had gone through the referral process both before and after my family doctor adopted eReferral, and the difference was hard to miss.

What Changed When My Doctor Started Using eReferral

Not long ago, I needed imaging done. The first order was for X-rays, and at that point, my family doctor was not yet using eReferral.

That meant the clinic had to print a requisition form and call around to several imaging locations to find out where the appointment could be booked. Because I use a wheelchair, accessibility was an important part of the conversation. After checking with several sites, we learned that none of the local imaging clinics could accommodate my needs, so the imaging had to be completed at the hospital instead.

Because the original requisition had already been directed elsewhere, a new one had to be issued before the appointment could move forward. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but it meant more administrative work, more back-and-forth, and a delay in a process that should have been straightforward.

A short time later, I needed additional imaging, including both an ultrasound and a bone scan. By then, my doctor had adopted eReferral, and the experience felt noticeably different. After a phone appointment, my doctor submitted the referrals electronically. Shortly afterward, I received an email confirming that the referrals had been sent and showing where they had been directed. The next day, I received another notification letting me know the referral had been reviewed. The imaging site could perform the ultrasound, but not the bone scan. Instead of needing another requisition or a series of phone calls between sites, the referral was split within the eReferral system and routed to another location that could perform the second test.

As a patient, that made a real difference. I didn’t have to coordinate between sites or wonder whether my referral had been received. I was kept informed as things moved forward. Soon afterward, I received separate appointment notifications for both procedures, including dates, times, and instructions in case I needed to reschedule.

Visibility Benefits Everyone

The part that stood out most was the transparency. At each stage, I knew where the referral was in the process and what would happen next. At the same time, my family doctor was receiving many of the same updates. Information was moving directly into the clinical workflow and electronic medical record, rather than relying on phone calls, faxes, or manual follow-up.

For clinicians, that can mean less time spent tracking referral status and fewer administrative touchpoints. For patients, it can mean more confidence and less uncertainty while they wait for care to move forward.

Bringing the Benefits Into Focus

When we talk about digital health transformation, it’s easy to focus on features, functionality, and implementation. Those conversations are important, but they don’t always capture what the experience feels like for the people impacted by the use of these tools. Sharing this story with physicians helped bring the practical impact of eReferral to life in a way that statistics alone sometimes can’t. The technology didn’t change my care plan, but it did make accessing that care feel more coordinated, transparent, and efficient.

That’s why patient experience matters in conversations about digital health. Beyond the operational benefits, tools like eReferral can help patients and care teams navigate the healthcare system with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.