Billing for phone calls could help, but it is irritating to patients, hard on staff and may not be worth the effort. Third-party payers and HCFA have been slow to recognize the resources needed to do a good job of arranging consultations and the value of this service. And we have foolishly done it for free. Society expects its family physicians to develop smooth, controlled, cost-effective relationships with consultants. We must do everything we can to achieve this goal.
Effective communication is the key.
Optimal consultations will occur when we give the process the attention it deserves. Dr. Shenkel is a family physician in Grand Junction, Colo., and a member of the Family Practice Managemen t Board of Editors. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference.