I NEED A REFERRAL !!!!

I called my PCP office to make an appointment for Friday and found out my doctor is gone for the rest of the month! (emergency, they said). Last week I gave the request letter I wrote to my doctor about WLS to the doctor that "filled-in" for him and asked that she give it to him the NEXT DAY.... I HAVE NO IDEA IF HE READ IT OR NOT I don't want him being gone a month to hold me up on this surgery because I have all the testing to do, yet! I NEED THE REFERRAL TO GET STARTED! Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do now? Do I ask the "fill-in" doctor to read the letter and make a referral or the "head doctor" of the clinic? My doctor I have at this clinic is a new doctor for me in the past MONTH because my old doctor retired, but all my records for the past 3 YEARS are there.

i would speak with your doctor's nurse. alot of times they can write the note with his permission and stamp his name. good luck!! melinda

Thank You, Melinda. I wonder if I should bring the "sample letter" with me for them to refer to as an outline of what I need the referral to all include?

I am a nurse and work for an insurance company. Please just go ahead and ask that the referral be written by another Dr. The one covering may not be able to give a detailed letter but it doesnt hurt to ask for that as well. By the time you get your appt and get in your Dr should be back and ask the nurse to have it on his desk waiting when he gets back(on top of the pile). If all of your records are there as you say, the fill-in should be able to write the letter too. Good luck Stephanie

My Dr. is VERY RNY friendly!Her name is DR.Julia Cosma. She is on Fort Harrison Ave. in Clearwater, FL.