Electronic transfer of referral notes

Purpose

1.1. Enable secure, rapid, and compliant transfer of patient referral notes between acupuncturists and other healthcare practitioners.
1.2. Ensure audit trails for documentation, reduce manual entry errors, and support regulatory compliance (e.g., HIPAA).
1.3. Centralize communication workflows to speed patient intake, optimize collaborator coordination, and maintain an integrated patient record.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Practitioner completes a new referral note within EHR or clinic management software.
2.2. Referral note marked as ready for transmission by authorized user.
2.3. New patient intake requiring communication of previous treatment information.
2.4. External request (fax, email, portal submission) for patient referral details.
2.5. Scheduled review where batch referral notes are auto-sent at specific intervals.

Platform Variants

3.1. DocuSign
• Feature: eSignature API – Automate sending signed referral notes via REST API; configure with templateId and custom envelope.
3.2. Microsoft Power Automate
• Flow: When a new file is added to OneDrive/SharePoint, auto-trigger secure email to referral partner; map source folder and recipient list.
3.3. Google Workspace (Gmail)
• Setting: Apps Script + Gmail API – Trigger email with PDF referral note attachment on form submission.
3.4. Dropbox
• API: /files/upload and /sharing/create_shared_link; auto-upload note and send secure access link.
3.5. Box
• Automation: Workflow “Upload triggers share” – Set folder triggers to generate custom secure share links for referral notes.
3.6. Epic EHR
• Interoperability: App Orchard API (FHIR) – Use endpoints to export and send referral notes directly to other providers.
3.7. Cerner EHR
• API: Millenium Open (DocumentReference endpoint) – Upload and share referral as structured clinical document.
3.8. Slack
• Feature: Incoming Webhooks – Post referral summary and file to private practitioner channel.
3.9. Twilio SendGrid
• API: /mail/send endpoint – Send referral note email with encrypted PDF attachment.
3.10. Salesforce Health Cloud
• Feature: Data Export/Connect – Automated outbound messaging and file transfer via Platform Events.
3.11. SFTP Server (Various)
• Integration: Programmatically upload referral note (OpenSSH, WinSCP command, or Python paramiko scripts).
3.12. Zoho CRM
• API: /notes or /attachments – Automatically attach referral to contact and trigger follow-up workflow.
3.13. MedTunnel
• Setting: Secure Direct Messaging API – Send referral note via HL7 Direct protocol.
3.14. Jotform
• Setting: PDF Editor + Email Notifications – Auto-generate and send filled referral via secure email.
3.15. Adobe Document Cloud
• Feature: REST API – Automated PDF generation and email sharing with authentication.
3.16. Microsoft Teams
• Setting: Automated channel messages – Post notification and file to designated compliance channel.
3.17. Zapier
• Automation: Connect EHR output to Gmail/Slack/SFTP; define trigger (new note) and action (send file).
3.18. Asana
• API: Task attachments – Attach referral note to specific patient’s project.
3.19. AWS S3
• Lambda Trigger: File upload function – Generate secure, temporary file link for distribution.
3.20. Google Cloud Healthcare API
• FHIR Documents: Export/create DocumentReference; route to external provider system.

Benefits

4.1. Reduces transfer errors and manual handoff bottlenecks.
4.2. Promotes secure, auditable, and regulatory-compliant data exchange.
4.3. Accelerates inter-provider communication and optimizes care coordination.
4.4. Frees practitioner/admin time for patient-facing care.
4.5. Supports scalability for multi-location practices and teams.