Coordinated Specialty Evaluations

Who this is for: Written for treating providers whose patients' findings point toward specialty care.

When testing points to further care

Standardized findings sometimes suggest a patient would benefit from a specialist: neurology, vestibular therapy, neuro-optometry or vision therapy, neuropsychology, cognitive rehabilitation, sleep medicine or behavioral health. For a busy practice, arranging those referrals takes time, and patients with cognitive symptoms may struggle to schedule and keep appointments on their own. Braintree's coordination support helps close that gap.

Headaches, fatigue and memory problems make phone calls, forms and scheduling hard. Help with those steps reduces dropped referrals.

The treating provider decides

Coordination always starts with the treating provider. The physician-reviewed diagnostic report may list evaluations for consideration, and the provider decides which, if any, to pursue. We never send patients to specialists on our own. Once the provider confirms, our team handles the logistics.

How coordination works

Our team helps identify available specialists in the patient's region, shares relevant records through appropriate channels, helps schedule the appointment and confirms with the patient. Clear written instructions and reminders are part of the process. Specialist findings flow back to the treating provider, so the chart stays complete and the provider keeps the full picture.

Related in this series: After a TBI Diagnosis: Coordinating Care With the Treating Provider, We Diagnose, You Treat: How a Diagnostics-Only Partner Works and Physician-Reviewed Diagnostic Reports. For the full overview, start with our guide, TBI Diagnostics: What Tests and Reports Show.

An example

A patient's report shows eye-movement findings outside expected ranges, alongside complaints of dizziness in stores and while reading. The chiropractor reviews the report and asks Braintree to help coordinate a vestibular evaluation. Our team finds an available therapist in the patient's region, sends the relevant records and helps the patient book. The therapist's evaluation returns to the chiropractor, who decides what comes next. Throughout, the chiropractor remains the coordinating provider.

Throughout, the treating provider remains the coordinating provider.

Why it helps patients and practices

Patients recovering from a concussion often find phone calls, forms and scheduling hard. Help with those steps reduces dropped referrals and gets patients to care sooner. Practice staff do not have to research specialists or chase appointments, communication runs through one point of contact, and the provider stays informed without extra administrative work.

What we don't do

We do not provide specialty treatment ourselves, we do not steer patients away from their provider and we make no coordination decisions without the provider's approval. Patients may choose their own specialist. We diagnose. You treat.

For attorneys and practices

Attorneys may see specialist evaluations in clients' records. Those are clinical referrals made by the treating provider based on clinical need. Coordination is available to partner practices; ask about it during your briefing, including any cost questions, which our operations team confirms. Call 813-709-3771.