Describe what you want assessed
A referral asks another doctor or health professional to look into your problem. Tell your usual doctor what is happening, when it began and what daily task it affects.
Say what you hope to get back to doing. Ask what kind of assessment fits that goal. You do not need to choose a treatment before that conversation.
No regular doctor? Contact a clinic about an in-person assessment, or ask a licensed service about a remote visit. Explain the concern you want assessed.
Bring the story, not a sales page
Write a short account in your own words. Bring the names of medicines or supplements you take and any records you want discussed. Ask which previous test results would help.
If an online claim caught your eye, bring the claim as a question. Ask what evidence applies to your problem.
Ask how the next visit will work
Ask why this kind of doctor or health professional is being suggested. Find out who receives the referral, which records go with it and how you hear back.
If the concern calls for an examination, ask where that can happen.
If you need a test or a visit in person, the doctor should help you get it. That may mean arranging it or referring you elsewhere. This advice comes from a national organisation of medical boards, the state bodies that oversee doctors (policy checked September 17, 2026).
Check the name you receive
A referral gives you a next conversation. Use the licence-check route for the doctor’s name, and ask the new doctor how they will look into your concern.
Follow the record-check route