eReferral enhancements

Review the latest enhancements improving eReferral user experience.

Prior Limitation

New Enhancement

Filtering limitations would not allow users to see declined referrals when using the
listing filter.

The Needs Review Folder Listing filter now includes all referrals with new messages (included referrals that have been declined).

Related support articles:
What do the different folders mean in the eReferrals and eConsults page?

Archived PDF release notes

December 11, 2025
October 9 and 30, 2025
August 28, 2025
July 17, 2025
June 5, 2025
May 15, 2025
March 13, 2025
January 9 and 30, 2025
November 7, 2024
October 17, 2024
August 22, 2024
April 9, 2024
December 14, 2023
October 12, 2023
August 29, 2023
June 21, 2023

Form enhancements

March 2026

Computed Tomography (CT) form

Initial: Lung Screening was available as a selectable option under the Chest category, allowing direct submission of the CT request.

Updates: Lung Screening is not a selectable option, as these requests must be submitted through the Lung Screening Program. The Lung Screening title now appears above the Lung Screening Program link.

Colon Cancer Screening form

Initial: There were no follow-up questions in the initial version when the referring provider selected “Yes” to a family history of colorectal cancer.

Updates: The new form asks three relevant family history follow up questions.

Bone Mineral Density form

Initial: The question ‘Alcohol 3 or more units/day?’ was not included in the Fracture Risk section of the BMD form.

Updates: A new question has been added to the Fracture Risk section of the BMD form: ‘Alcohol 3 or more units/day?’ (Yes/No).”

Gynecology (Adult)

Initial: Prior to the change, the Clinical Alert field displayed: ‘Requires surgical abortion within one week.’

Updates: The Clinical Alert field has been updated to display: ‘Surgical abortion.’

All Diagnostic Imaging forms

Initial: Patient email notifications were functioning prior to the latest Novari software integration.

Updates: Following the Novari integration, patient email notifications are no longer functional. A disclaimer reflecting this change has been added to all DI forms.

Please note: Patient email notifications are currently not supported for diagnostic imaging referrals. The email field remains visible and can still be completed. Diagnostic imaging sites will contact patients directly regarding appointment bookings. 

February 2026

All Adult Surgery/Gastroenterology forms

Initial: Initially, the forms did not include additional information fields that appear as drop-downs when selected by the user.

Updates: Standardized the Additional Patient Information sections in surgical forms to align with those in DI forms, improving consistency and ease of use.

All Diagnostic Imaging forms

Initial: The clinical decision support question regarding the ease and usefulness of the tool was mandatory if the tool was opened, regardless of whether it was used.

Updates: Answering the question is now voluntary.

Computer Tomography (CT) form

Initial: The following sites were available to be selected on the CT form, and they do not provide CT services: Eskasoni, Digby, Middleton, Cleveland, Glace Bay, New Waterford, North Sydney.

Updates: Only the sites that provide CT as a service can be selected.

All Pediatric forms

Initial: These questions appeared at the bottom of the pediatric forms and were not configured as conditional drop-down fields that open only when selected by the user.

Updates: Standardized the Additional Patient Information sections in pediatric forms to align with those in DI and Surgical forms, improving consistency and ease of use.

January 2026

All Diagnostic Imaging forms

Initial: Willingness to travel question did not consider the patients' ability to travel. Example: Is the patient willing to travel to other sites?

Updates: Question has been updated to: Is the patient willing and able to travel to other sites? 

Initial: Data collection verbiage did not appear in the original patient information section of the DI forms.

Updates: All DI forms have been standardized to align with Surgery forms by adding the data collection verbiage.

Computer Tomography scan (CT)

Initial: Routine Brain and Computed Tomography Angiogram (CTA) Brain appeared as choices. Language changed to align with standard for CT.

Updates: Routine Brain updated to Routine Head and CTA Brain updated to CTA Head.

Initial: The language, “Please note, if this request is looking for a source of Gastrointestinal bleeding, the patient must have had a negative upper and lower scope” appeared when Liver was selected.

Updates: The Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding language was removed from the Liver selection and placed under the Enterography selection.

Initial: Hypervascular tumor section include two exams.

Updates: Hypervascular Tumor section was broken into two categories and renamed:

1) Hypervascular Tumor Chest, Abdomen, Pelvis and moved to the Chest section
2) Hypervascular Tumor Abdomen Pelvis remains under abdomen section

Fluoroscopy / Interventional radiology form

Initial: Nephrostogram did not appear as an option.

Updates: Under the Genitourinary subsection of the exam request list, Nephrostogram was added as an option.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Initial: Prostate questionnaire was not available for the referring provider to supply patient information.

Updates: The questionnaire that appears on the current paper MRI form was added to the MRI eReferral form when Pelvis-Prostate is selected.

December 2025

All Diagnostic Imaging forms

Initial: Initially, when answering “YES” to a patient’s willingness to travel, referring providers selected multiple alternate sites within the Central Zone.

Updates: Language was added to help reduce confusion when “YES” is selected for patient willingness to travel, as multiple sites within the Central Zone may be chosen. Please note that Central Zone manages their waitlist as a whole.

Choosing alternate sites within central Zone will not result in a sooner appointment. If the patient is willing to travel, please choose alternate site(s) outside of Central Zone.

Spine Assessment Clinic (SAC)

Initial: Initial form did not ask for updated questions below.

Updates:
1. When Neck Pain or Arm pain is selected in the Symptoms area of the SAC form, the following question now appears at the top of the Physical Exam Findings drop down area:

Upper extremity pulses present? No Yes

2. When “Cumulative Patient Profile (CPP) attached separately” is selected, the following question will appear at the bottom of the Investigations Completed area. This opens a drop-down, free text box to add what imaging was ordered:

Imaging Ordered No Yes
If you click yes, a drop down will appear that states the following: Images ordered.

November 2025

Gastroenterology

Initial: No direction to suggest Colon Cancer screening form for asymptomatic patients.

Updates: Direction added to the Clinical Alerts area of the form suggesting use of Colon Cancer screening form for asymptomatic patients.

Neurosurgery and Orthopedics

Initial: No suggestion to utilize the form for Spine Assessment Clinic (SAC) when referring spine cases.

Updates: Direction added to the Clinical Alerts area of the form. For spine referrals, please close the referral and select the Spine Assessment Clinic referral form.

General Surgery

Initial: No suggestion to use Colon Cancer Screening form for asymptomatic patients.

Updates: When Lower Endoscopy Request is selected, the following direction opens: “This referral form is for symptomatic patients only.”

Asymptomatic screening referrals need to be submitted on the Colon Cancer Screening form.

All Diagnostic Imaging eReferral forms

Initial: Only certain diagnostic imaging eReferrals had the site selections in alphabetical order.

Updates: All diagnostic imaging eReferrals have the site selection in alphabetical order.

Fluoroscopy/Interventional Radiology form

Initial: Items listed under the Select Exam(s) of Interest section were not in alphabetical order.

Updates: All exams now appear in alphabetical order.

October 2025

Gynecology (Adult)

Initial: Users requested an alternate area to add other treatments to ensure an appropriate description could be made.

Updates: An "Other" option was added along with a mandatory free form text box for the referring provider to describe the treatment(s) tried. This change appears in the Treatment(s) tried (select all that apply): area of the gynecology form.

Spine Assessment Clinic (SAC)

Initial: Users requested an alternate field to document additional symptoms to provide a more complete description.

Updates: An “Other” option was added to the pain description choices for Neck, Back, Arm, and Leg. When selected, a mandatory free-text field appears to capture additional details.

August 2025

Cardiac surgery (pediatric) form

Initial: This health service appeared as an option on the Healthmap.

Updates: Removed the option as it is not an available service.

July 2025

OAC (adult) form - WZ, CZ, EZ, NZ

Initial: Original form was missing an indicator of available imaging.

Updates: Two additional questions regarding imaging have been added to the Reason for Referral area of the form when a Hip or Knee is selected to aid Central Intake with the routing of the referral and clinics with triage and protocol.

- Images available Y/N
- Images ordered Y/N

June 2025

Gynecology (adult) form

Initial: Surgical OB could be selected in error for a Surgical OB of an urgent nature.

Updates: If surgical abortion is required within 1 week, do not use this form. Contact local gynecologist directly. Surgical abortions not required within 1 week should be sent directly to the ROSE Clinic. If you choose to continue, Central Intake will fax this referral to the ROSE Clinic, as they are not on Ocean at this time. Please note that due to the urgency of abortions, future referrals should be sent by the patient through the ROSE Clinic website, where they can find the form to self-refer. Link for the Rose Clinic now included.

All surgical and Diagnostic Imaging forms

Initial: The order in which pronoun buttons appeared was not consistent throughout the form.

Updates: The sequence of the pronoun buttons was changed to align with the other buttons in the Additional Patient Information areas of the respective forms.

March 2025

MRI form

Initial: Original form did not have Spine Assessment Clinic (SAC) information.

Updates:
‍a. Verbiage has been added to the MRI form (when an MRI of the spine is selected) suggesting when a prescriber should consider sending a referral to the SAC prior to requesting an MRI of the spine.

b. The link for more information on sending referrals to the SAC clinic has also been added.

February 2025

All Ocean eForms

Initial: Additional Patient Information section had “Preferred Name” and “Preferred Pronouns” fields. Upon engagement with prideHealth, it is an expectation of providers to use this information when addressing the patient, not a preference.

Updates: “Preferred Name” changed to “Name Used”, and “Preferred Pronouns” changed to “Pronouns”.

Gynecology form

Initial: A yes/no question on the referral form asked “Previously treated with cervical dysplasia / abnormal Pap test”. If “Yes” was selected, a date field would appear to fill out the date of the treatment. Feedback from receiving provider was that that these are two very different things and should be separated.

Updates: These have been separated into two questions: 1. “Previously treated for cervical dysplasia:” (Y/N) – If yes, ask for Date, and 2. “Previously treated for abnormal Pap test:” (Y/N) – If yes, ask for Date.

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Initial: Under General gynecology, the selection “Vulvar Lesion” would require the provider to specify with the symptoms Itch, Bleeding, and/or Ulceration. Feedback from providers was that patients may not experience any of those symptoms with a vulvar lesion and the question should not be mandatory.

Updates: “Specify” field is no longer mandatory, and removed the mandatory “Description” field as there is a standard description free text field for all Primary Reason for Referral selections.

October 2024

Adult ENT form

Initial: Primary Reason for Referral had options “Tonsilitis/Sleep Apnea” and “Thyroid/Parathyroid” as combined selections. Feedback from receiving providers stated that these can be triaged very differently and therefore should be separated.

Updates: “Tonsilitis/Sleep Apnea” has been separated to “Tonsilitis” and “Sleep Apnea”, and “Thyroid/Parathyroid” has been separated to “Thyroid” and “Parathyroid”.

December 2024

Gynecology form

Initial: A mandatory field had been removed that asked referrers to identify the gynecologist their patient saw in the last five years (where applicable). Without this information and if the last gynecologist report was not attached, central intake teams were not able to route the patient back to the original gynecologist.

Updates: Several changes have been made to the form:

- Has patient previously seen gynecologist in Nova Scotia within the last 5 years?
Referrers will be prompted to pick Yes, No and Unknown. If they enter “Yes”, they will be asked to check a box confirming they have attached the previous report that includes the name of that gynecologist. If that report is not attached, a mandatory field asking for the gynecologist’s name will remain.

- Is this referral for a second opinion?
This field will now only be shown if referrers have identified that their patient has seen a gynecologist within the last 5 years.

September 2024

All surgical and Diagnostic Imaging forms

Initial: All forms included a field allowing the referrer to note the patient’s ethnicity if desired. Concerns were raised by some partners regarding the collection of this information and its intended use.

Updates: The ethnicity field has been removed from all eForms.

All surgical forms

‍Initial: The Receiver Referral Summary previously displayed per below:

Additional Patient Information
Additional Referrer’s Information
Referral Information
Cumulative Patient Profile
- Current medications
- Current problems
- Past medical history
- Allergies

‍Updates: The Receiver Referral Summary previously displayed per below:

Referral Information
Additional Patient Information
Additional Referrer’s Information
Cumulative Patient Profile
- Allergies
- Current medications
- Current problems
- Past medical history

Initial: If the patient was willing to travel anywhere in Nova Scotia, the referrer would have to click to select each (13) communities.

Updates: There’s now an option to select “Anywhere in Province” that works the same as selecting each community to reduce clicks.

Initial: Patients and providers were not aware that when stating the patient is “Willing and able to travel outside community for shorter wait time”, this included more than just the surgery.

Updates: Added disclaimer: “Please Note: Please ensure patient is aware that they will be required to travel to that community for all in-person appointments (e.g., consult appointment, surgery, etc.) associated with their care.”

General surgery

Initial: When sending an endoscopy request, the options for locations were “Upper” and “Lower”. It was not clear that you could select both, leading to multiple referrals being sent for the same patient for each location. If you selected both “Upper” and “Lower”, it wasn’t clear which portion the Indication field was referencing.

Updates: Added a disclaimer “Location (select all that apply)”Added disclaimer “Indication (Lower)”

General surgery (adult) form

Initial: There is not an option for “High risk” for patients who previously had breast cancer.

Updates: Added “Previous diagnosis of breast cancer” as an option under high risk, when cancer is selected

Gynecology (adult) form

Initial: Gynecology forms did not include an “Asymptomatic” option when referring for Fibroids.

Updates: Added “Asymptomatic” as an option when Fibroids is selected.

Initial: When selecting “Heavy menstrual bleeding / Abnormal uterine bleeding”, the mandatory field “Specify” only contained the options; Irregular cycles, Intermenstrual bleeding, Enlarged/bulky uterus, and Hgb<100. Some patients did not experience any of these options.

Updates: Added “Other” as an option along with disclaimer when selected saying “Please describe in brief description of presenting problem”.

August 2024

General surgery

Initial: If the Primary Reason for Referral is cancer (suspected or confirmed), there is no option to select the appendix from the specify list.

Updates: Appendix will be offered in the specify section for General Surgery forms when the primary reason for referral is cancer.

All surgical review notes

Initial: In the Review Note for Surgical Referrals, the outcome contains: Surgery, Non-surgery and Continue to follow.

Updates: In the review note for Surgical Referrals, the Outcome contains: Surgery, Non-surgery, Continue to follow, Minor Procedure and Scope.

All pediatric surgical forms

Initial: In many cases, the Pediatric Patient Information such as phone number and email belong to their parent / caregiver. Physicians are having to copy that information into the Parent / Caregiver Information section as it does not auto populate and is mandatory.

Updates: Checkboxes have been added for the Parent / Caregiver contact phone # and Parent / Caregiver contact email to make it the same as the above Patient Information section. This section no longer has mandatory fields.

MRI form

Initial: Referrers don’t always have access to exact patient weight when they complete the MRI form and have requested a way to more easily indicate if the patient may exceed the maximum table capacity.

Updates: To address this, a trial change to the MRI referral form was rolled out this month. Referrers can still enter a weight, or click one of the new buttons to indicate if the patient is:
‍Over 350lbs/160kg
Under 350lbs/160kg.

June 2024

Gynecology form

Initial: Some mandatory fields requested details that might not be readily available making it more difficult to complete the referral.

Updates: Several changes have been made to the form.
‍
- Patient Previously seen by a Gynecologist in Nova Scotia field - Referrers will be prompted to pick Yes, No and Unknown. If they enter “Yes”, they will be asked to attach the last gynecology report. We have removed the date of last gynecology appointment and physician name (will be captured on report, if applicable).

- Height (cm) & Weight (kg) field - The height and weight fields have been changed are no longer mandatory and a new non-mandatory BMI scale (< 30, 30-50, > 50) field has been added instead.

- Last Pap Test Date field - This field name has been change to “Last Pap Test” with the pap test date (mm/dd/yyyy) removed and replaced with five options -- Pap up to date as per NS guidelines, Attached, Unavailable, Unable to complete, Not applicable).

Enhancement News

eReferral enhancements

Prior Limitation

New Enhancement

Form enhancements