06/27/2026
I have recently had many conversations with individuals and family members about the process of referrals for services. Let me try to explain the importance of this piece.
In the state of Colorado, referrals are required for OT services. Collectively, we are licensed individuals governed under the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). We are bound by certain standards of care, processes, continuation of knowledge through regular continuing education requirements, and in our ways of documenting and billing for services that are provided.
A referral is a formal document from your medical provider (physician, physician's assistant, nurse practitioner, optometrist) asking for a specific service. It generally includes an individual's name, date of birth, medical diagnosis, reason for the visit (not always related to the diagnosis), and relevant medical history. It is what initiates the service provision.
Referrals sometimes are provided to more than one organization that can provide such services, while others are specific to an organization that the physician has worked with successfully in the past or has some sort of affiliation with. In the case of Driver Rehabilitation, it is not allowable for a provider to have a direct affiliation with providers outside of their own practice location (For instance, if someone works at a hospital group it would be prudent to get direct referrals for an evaluation from within that hospital group; It would not be prudent, however, for one hospital group to contract with one provider for direct referrals outside of their hospital group.) A referral to a specialist is often the only way that the individual learns about the specialty services available to them--it should not be issued unilaterally as "the only" specialist available to them.
So, getting back to the main reason for this post: Why is a referral needed? Well, quite simply because it's the law! In more detail, it allows specialty providers to understand the reasons behind the referral, to ensure that the correct individual is being assessed, and to know who to field the results back to so that they can be reviewed and reported on.
Stay tuned for more on this process of referral, review of medical prudency for driving, and what steps every individual who holds a license in the state of Colorado should know to protect themselves. I will review the Self-Reporting statute of Colorado law as it relates to driving next time!
