Referrals

As primary care physicians, we can manage most of your child's health care at our office, including many Behavioral and Mental Health issues. For medical issues that require specialty care, you should always contact our office to discuss referral requests prior to making an appointment with a specialist. We refer to specialists in whom we have confidence and who communicate with us regularly about our patients’ needs. Many of these specialists are members of the South Shore Physician Hospital Organization, Inc. at South Shore Hospital. For additional subspecialty services, we also coordinate care with Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Tufts New England Medical Center, as well as number of Mental Health Centers and providers.

If your insurance plan is a PPO, you do not need a referral from your primary care physician. If you have an HMO plan, you are required to have a referral from your primary care physician in order for your insurance company to pay for the visit.

Once your pediatrician has recommended that your child see a specialist, you may call the specialist and make an appointment. If you require a referral, we suggest that you call us as soon as you make your appointment with the specialist. Please allow up to seven business days to process your referral. Requests made less than seven business days prior to the appointment or after the appointment has already taken place may not be able to be processed.

To have an insurance referral processed, please call us during regular office hours and ask for the Referral Line. Our voice mail system will prompt you to leave the following information: your child’s name and date of birth, name of your primary care physician, name of your insurance carrier and ID number, name of the specialist, specialist’s phone and fax numbers if available, appointment date and location, reason for the referral, and your name and phone number in the event that there are questions regarding your referral.