Referral
Building an ecosystem
The Referrals page is the "Intake Engine" of FieldWorker. It is the transition from a lead (prospect) to an active client. This module is more than a simple list; it is a sophisticated gateway that integrates Workflows and Forms to automate the business process of onboarding.
The Referral Dashboard
The dashboard provides a high-level overview of your agency’s pipeline. Each entry represents a potential client or a service request.
Direction: * Incoming: Leads coming from external partners (doctors, hospitals, or state agencies).
Outgoing: Referrals your agency is sending to partners for specialized care.
Status: Tracks the lead's progress (e.g., PENDING, Approved, or Disapproved).
Subject: Often indicates the nature of the referral or the specific prospect's name.
Referral ID: A unique system-generated number for Audit and tracking purposes.
Powerful Business Automation
The true strength of the Referrals page lies in its ability to trigger complex business logic through two key functionalities:
A. Intake Forms as Data Collection
When a new referral arrives, you can immediately trigger an Intake Form.
Purpose: This replaces paper-based onboarding. It allows you to collect mandatory Customer data (like Medicaid IDs or DDDIDs) upfront.
Coordination: By requiring a Signature, you ensure that the prospect's consent is captured digitally and stored in the Documents tab before services even begin.
B. Workflows as Business Automation
Instead of manually tracking the 10+ steps required to onboard a new client, you can link a referral to a Workflow.
Concept: A workflow automates the "Path to Care." For an agency, this might include:
Assigning an Employee to perform an initial assessment.
Automatically generating a New Project once the assessment is marked "Pass."
Notifying the Billing department to verify insurance.
Impact: This ensures zero data loss and absolute consistency. No prospect falls through the cracks because the system "pushes" the next step to the relevant staff member.
Managing the workflow status
Managing the Status of a Referral is a critical administrative function that moves a prospect through the agency's "Path to Care." In FieldWorker, this is handled via a dedicated pop-up interface accessible by clicking the Edit (pencil) icon next to any entry on the REFERRALS dashboard. Managing these statuses is the primary way your agency tracks a prospect's transition from an initial inquiry to an active Customer.
Field
Description
Subject
The title of the referral (e.g., Referral).
Date
The original date the referral was created (e.g., Sep 28, 2025).
Initiator
The originating entity (e.g., Company #2004).
Customer
The specific client linked to this request.
Status Dropdown
The primary control for business logic (e.g., Referral Initiated).
Note
A rich-text area for adding context or updates (e.g., Sample note).
1. Referral Status Interface
When you open a referral, the system presents a focused view of the current progress. The status dropdown contains 11 distinct phases. Each phase represents a specific milestone in your agency's business process:
Status
Administrative Meaning
Workflow/Automation Context
Referral Initiated
The lead has just entered the system.
Triggers the assignment of an intake coordinator.
Initial Contact
First outreach to the prospect has been made.
Logs the first interaction date for Compliance tracking.
Documentation Pending
Waiting on medical records or insurance info.
Keeps the referral active but flagged as "incomplete."
Documentation Received
All required paperwork is on hand.
Alerts the clinical team to begin the review.
Determination Pending
The agency is deciding if they can accept the case.
Often used when awaiting a "Prior Authorization" from a payer.
Accepted
The agency has officially agreed to provide care.
Critical Trigger: Typically initiates the New Project setup.
Denied
The agency cannot take the case.
Stops the workflow; requires a mandatory reason in the Note field.
On Hold
The process is paused (e.g., client is hospitalized).
Suspends Scheduler tasks without closing the referral.
Intake in Progress
Active evaluation or home visit is occurring.
Visible to field staff in the Ability Hub app.
2. The Concept of Status-Driven Automation
The status is the "Command Center" for your agency's automation. By moving a referral through these stages, you are directing the platform's behavior:
Visual Coordination: On the main REFERRALS dashboard, the Status column allows managers to see at a glance where bottlenecks are occurring (e.g., if too many leads are stuck in "Documentation Pending").
Audit Trail: Every status change is time-stamped. If a referral is accepted, the system preserves the history of how long it took from "Initiated" to "Accepted," which is a key metric for agency efficiency.
Note Integration: When changing a status (for example, to On Hold), adding a Note like "Awaiting primary care physician signature" ensures that any staff member who opens the referral knows exactly why the process is paused.
3. Importance for Case Management & Coordination
Properly managing the status ensures a "Warm Handoff" between departments:
For Admissions: Real-time status updates allow the admissions team to see exactly how many leads are PENDING versus how many have been converted.
For Field Staff: If an Employee is assigned to a referral task, they can see the Note history (e.g., Sample note) in their mobile app, providing vital background before meeting the prospect.
For Partners: If the referral came from an external agency, changing the status can trigger an automated email update to the Referral Partner, keeping them informed without manual emails or phone calls.
4. Saving and Closing
[CLOSE]: Exits the pop-up without applying changes.
Agency Best Practice: Always use the Note field when changing a status to "Disapproved." Documenting the reason (e.g., "Out of service area" or "Payer not accepted") is essential for analyzing your agency's referral conversion rates in future Reports.
5. Usage Best Practices
To maintain best-in-class case management, agencies should follow these protocols:
Update Promptly: As soon as a document is uploaded to the Documents tab, move the status to Documentation Received to alert the next person in the chain.
Use Notes for "Denied": If a referral is denied, always document if it was due to staffing, geography, or insurance. This data is vital for future business planning.
Referral Partners
The REFERRAL PARTNERS tab allows you to manage the Contacts and organizations that send you business.
Analytics: By tracking the "Initiator," agencies can identify which partners provide the highest-quality leads.
Communication: Links directly to the Contacts module, allowing you to quickly call or email a referrer to update them on a prospect's status.
Why this Matters for Agencies
For various agencies (Home Health, DDD, Behavioral Health), the Referrals page is the first line of defense for Revenue Integrity:
Speed to Care: Automation through Workflows reduces the time between "Initial Call" and "First Visit," which is a key metric for agency growth.
Initiating a new Referral (outgoing using a custom form)
The Create New Referral page is the strategic entry point for clinical and business coordination. It moves beyond simple data entry by adopting the SOAP Note framework (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan), which is the gold standard for healthcare documentation.
By using this structured approach, your agency ensures that every referral is not just a "name in a list," but a comprehensive clinical profile ready for automated business processing.
1. Source & Company Selection
The top of the form establishes the professional relationship between your agency and the referring partner.
Search Target Company: A dynamic search field where you enter the name or GUID of the referring organization (e.g., Guest Company Inc). Any company in your network, or part of the Fieldworker referral partners ecosystem, can be sent a referral.
Customer Dropdown: Links the referral to an existing Customer. If the customer is new, this is where the Intake Form data is typically pulled to populate the record. For an existing customer, the details are pulled from the customer record.
2. Referral Documentation: The SOAP Concept
The form uses four specific fields to capture the "Subjective" and "Objective" reality of the client, providing the context needed for high-quality case management. SOAP form is used as an example, but realistically, any custom form or workflow can be associated with either the outgoing or incoming referral.
Field
Purpose
Agency Coordination Value
Subjective
Client's reported feelings, symptoms, and moods.
Helps caregivers in the Ability Hub understand the client's perspective before the visit.
Objective
Measurable outcomes, test scores, and observed behaviors.
Provides hard data for Compliance and justifies the medical necessity of the referral.
Assessment
Analysis of progress and areas of improvement.
Allows Case Managers to compare current performance against previous sessions to track goals.
Plan
Immediate next steps and treatment objectives.
Directly informs the Workflow by outlining what specific tasks need to be triggered next.
3. Business Process Automation (The Workflow Link)
The "Plan" section of the referral is the "trigger" for your agency's automation. Once the referral is submitted, it can initiate a Workflow:
Information Flow: The SOAP notes move with the referral. When a caregiver opens their task in the Ability Hub, they aren't starting from zero; they see the Assessment and Plan right on their mobile screen.
Revenue Cycle: By documenting the Assessment and Plan at the referral stage, you ensure that the Billing department has the clinical justification needed to approve claims and prevent insurance "clawbacks."
4. Importance for Multi-Disciplinary Agencies
Coordination: If a physical therapist refers a client for home health, the Objective data (test scores) ensure the home health aide knows exactly what physical limitations to observe.
Best-Case Management: The transition from Assessment to Plan ensures that there is never a gap in care. As soon as one goal is met, the next "Plan" item is already visible in the system.
Submit: Clicking this button saves the clinical narrative and officially places the prospect into your agency's active pipeline.
Initiating a new Referral (outgoing using a generic form)
The Generic Referral tab on the Create New Referral page is designed for maximum flexibility, allowing your agency to coordinate care with the broader healthcare community. While many referrals occur between two agencies already on the FieldWorker platform, this tab ensures you can send professional, structured referrals to any provider, regardless of whether they are a FieldWorker customer yet.
1. Form Fields: The Generic Referral
When you need to refer a client to an outside specialist, facility, or partner who is not yet in your Referral Partners database, you use this interface to manually define the destination.
Field
Requirement
Description
Company Name *
Mandatory
The legal name of the receiving agency (e.g., ABC Inc).
Company Address *
Mandatory
The physical location of the receiving provider. Essential for geographic coordination.
Company Email *
Mandatory
The primary contact for the receiving agency. This is where the referral notification is sent.
Company Phone *
Mandatory
The direct line for the receiving agency’s intake department.
First/Last Name
Optional
The specific individual at the receiving company (e.g., Ginger Hua) who should handle the intake.
2. Concept: Onboarding the "Non-FieldWorker" Agency
A critical strategic feature of this page is its ability to bridge the gap between different technical ecosystems.
The FieldWorker Network: When you send a referral to an agency already using FieldWorker, the data appears instantly in their Incoming Referrals dashboard, allowing them to instantiate a Workflow immediately.
The "External" Recipient: If the outgoing referral goes to an agency not yet using FieldWorker, the system sends a secure, professional email notification. This email contains the referral details and a link for them to view the request.
Strategic Growth: This serves as a powerful onboarding tool. Once the external agency sees the efficiency of the FieldWorker referral (complete with clinical notes and documentation), they can easily join the platform to streamline future coordination with your agency.
3. Business Process Automation & Workflow
Even when sending a referral to an external party, your internal business process remains automated:
Standardization: Using the Generic Referral tab ensures that your staff always collects the same mandatory contact information, preventing "lost leads" due to missing phone numbers or emails.
Tracking: Every generic referral is logged with a status (e.g., PENDING). Your Project Managers can monitor how long it takes for external partners to respond, providing data for better network management.
Digital Audit Trail: Even if the receiving agency is not on the platform, your agency maintains a complete Documented history of the referral, which is vital for Compliance and state audits.
4. Summary of Action
Once you have entered the partner's details and the prospect's information, clicking the Submit button initiates the outgoing communication. This action creates a permanent link between your Customer and the external provider, ensuring that no matter where the client goes, their history in FieldWorker remains intact.
Would you like me to document how to track the status of these outgoing Generic Referrals in your main dashboard?
The REFERRAL PARTNERS tab is the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) layer of the FieldWorker referral system. It acts as a centralized directory of all external organizations—such as hospitals, clinics, and state agencies—that interact with your agency’s intake pipeline.
Referral Partners
Managing this list is a critical step in professionalizing your agency’s outreach and ensuring that outgoing care coordination is directed to the correct entities.
1. Data Grid Overview
The Referral Partners page displays a structured list of partner organizations with the following key data points:
Column
Description
Company
The legal name of the partner agency (e.g., ABC Inc, Test Company External).
Address
The physical location of the partner, used for geographic filtering of leads.
Phone
The primary contact number for the partner's intake or coordination department.
Contact Name
The specific individual (e.g., temp, Ginger Hua) at that company who manages referrals.
Contact Email
The digital destination for outgoing referral notifications and Documents.
2. Functional Capabilities
The interface provides several utility tools (located in the top-right corner) to manage the partner database:
Search: Quickly filter through the total rows (currently 11) to find a specific agency by name or email.
Download/Export: Export your partner list to a CSV or Excel file for marketing analysis or off-site reporting.
Column Management: Customize the view to show or hide specific contact details based on your current administrative needs.
3. Strategic Importance: The "Network Effect"
Documenting and maintaining this tab is vital for three core agency functions:
A. Streamlining Outgoing Referrals
When creating a New Referral, the system pulls from this list. Having a prepopulated Referral Partners tab means staff don't have to manually type addresses or emails every time they refer a client out, significantly reducing data entry errors.
B. Tracking Referral Quality
By linking every Incoming Referral to a partner in this list, agencies can run Reports to see which partners are sending the most qualified leads. This allows for data-driven decisions on where to focus business development efforts.
C. Bridging the FieldWorker Gap
As noted in the Generic Referral documentation, these partners may or may not be on FieldWorker yet.
FieldWorker Partners: Enjoy seamless, instant data syncing between platforms.
External Partners: Receive professional, secure email invitations. This tab tracks those external identities, ensuring your agency remains the professional "hub" of the coordination effort.
4. Integration with the "Circle of Care"
Referral Partners are often the same entities found in your Contacts or Vendors lists. By centralizing them here, you ensure that when a Caregiver in the Ability Hub needs to contact a referring physician, they are using the most up-to-date information verified by the office.
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