How to send a referral
Referrals are accepted by fax to 905 625 5650, monitored during clinic hours. An Ocean eReferral listing is being confirmed and will be published here once live.
Send the referral
Fax the completed form, or your own referral letter, with the patient's demographics, health card number and the reason for referral.
Receipt is confirmed to your office
Our referral desk acknowledges the referral back to the sending office within a stated number of business days. If you have not heard from us, call 905 625 5600.
The referral is triaged
Every referral is reviewed by a dermatologist. Suspected melanoma and rapidly changing lesions are booked ahead of routine cases. The full list of urgent categories is being finalised with Dr. Ejaz.
The patient is contacted
Our office calls the patient directly to book. Please let patients know to expect a call from a 905 number, and to tell us if their contact details change.
You receive the consultation report
A written report goes to the referring physician, and separately to the primary care provider where these differ, after the visit. Follow up reports are sent when the plan changes.
What a complete referral includes
Incomplete referrals are the most common reason for delay. A complete referral lets us triage accurately and book the right length of appointment.
- Patient name, date of birth, health card number and version code
- Two working phone numbers for the patient, and an email address if they have one
- Reason for referral and the presenting complaint, with duration
- Site, size and any change in a lesion, with an image attached where available
- Treatments already tried and the response
- Relevant history: prior skin cancer, immunosuppression, pregnancy, current medications
- Urgency flag, and why
- Referring physician name, billing number, fax and phone
Images help
A clear image of the lesion or rash, attached to the referral, lets the triaging dermatologist judge urgency directly. It does not need to be dermoscopic. A phone picture in daylight is enough.
What we see, and what we do not
DermCare is a general medical dermatology practice with defined areas of depth. Referrals are welcome for the full range of skin, hair and nail conditions. Areas of particular capacity include:
| Area | Notes for referrers |
|---|---|
| Skin cancer and suspicious lesions | Dermatopathology is read in house. Mark suspected melanoma urgent. |
| Psoriasis | Phototherapy on site. Systemic and biologic therapy where indicated. |
| Eczema and atopic dermatitis | Adults and children. Phototherapy available for suitable cases. |
| Hidradenitis suppurativa | An active clinical study is recruiting. See current studies. |
| Vitiligo | Narrowband UVB on site. |
| Hair, scalp and nail disorders | Assessment and biopsy. |
Cosmetic concerns without a medical indication are not covered by OHIP and are not seen under a referral. Whether contact allergy patch testing and paediatric dermatology are offered as named services is being confirmed.
Phototherapy referrals
Phototherapy is ordered by a dermatologist after assessment. Please refer the patient for the underlying condition rather than for phototherapy directly. If you are a dermatologist wishing to send a patient for treatment only, call the clinic to arrange a direct booking. Details on the phototherapy service.
Questions about an existing referral
Call 905 625 5600 and ask for the referral desk. Please have the patient's name and date of birth and the date the referral was sent.