Winning More Referrals: How Home Health Agencies Can Master Hospital Relationships

Hospital discharge planners hold the keys to your referral success. Their mission is crystal clear: get patients discharged safely and swiftly. Your mission is equally clear: become the trusted solution they depend on again and again.

Building trust requires constant communication, exceptional responsiveness, and rock-solid relationships. Referrals don't come easily. They flow directly from earned trust. Win that trust, and you'll win their referrals. Lose it, and watch opportunities vanish.

The formula is simple. Communicate clearly, respond quickly, and deliver more than expected every single time. Do that, and you'll be their go-to agency for life.

Over-Communication: The Key to Winning Referrals

Quick Response: Respect the Golden Hour

Hospital discharge planners operate on urgency. Every referral is critical, and every moment counts. Treat each referral like a ticking clock – every passing minute diminishes trust. Respond swiftly, clearly, and confidently.

A stellar immediate response might look like this:

“Hi there, we received your referral. Our nurse is able to see the patient to begin care within 24 hours. Please confirm the discharge time when available.”

Consistent speed positions you as a dependable partner planners will trust for urgent cases.

Follow Up on Unplaced Referrals

Referrals can stall. Instead of waiting passively, proactively check in after three hours of inactivity. A quick follow-up shows that you care about solving their problems.

Keep it concise, helpful, and friendly:

Quick check-in: I noticed the earlier referral hasn't been placed. If you're having issues, let me know how I can assist.

Thoughtful follow-ups reinforce your commitment to partnership and reliability.

Close the Loop on All Referrals

Never leave referrals unresolved; clarity builds credibility. Keep planners informed at each step, closing loops proactively:

Upon starting care:

“Hi, confirming we've started care for your [Referral Name]. I'll update you soon on patient progress.”

Two weeks after their first referral:

“Just a quick update – your patient is progressing well. Thanks again for trusting us.”

Regular, proactive updates cement relationships built on trust.

Communicate Proactively if a Patient Transfers Back to the Hospital

When patients unexpectedly return to the hospital, discharge planners need immediate transparency—not delayed explanations.

Quickly notify planners with clear, accountable messaging:

“Your patient returned to the hospital today due to elevated blood pressure. We're evaluating the care plan now and will update you shortly.”

Transparent updates highlight accountability and reinforce trust.

Understanding Their Pain Points 

To become the trusted partner of hospital discharge planners, you must understand their daily challenges. Identifying these frustrations positions you as the agency uniquely capable of solving them.

Discharge planners are persistently pressured to coordinate timely patient discharges. Delays have cascading effects on hospital operations, disrupting bed availability and triggering internal tension. Rapid responses and reliable scheduling from your agency directly ease these pressures, smoothing patient transitions and streamlining planners’ workflows.

Rehospitalizations also weigh heavily on case managers. Each readmission means additional paperwork, increased scrutiny, and heightened administrative workloads. Exceptional care and regular updates on patient progress reassure planners, demonstrating your ability to manage risks proactively and minimize the likelihood of readmissions.

Patient complaints represent another challenge navigated by discharge planners daily. Complaints reflect negatively on their discharge process, intensifying their stress. Agencies delivering consistent, quality care significantly reduce these complaints, turning planners into enthusiastic referral sources rather than stressed intermediaries.

When speaking with planners, openly acknowledge these struggles with clarity and empathy:

“We recognize the pressure you face coordinating smooth discharges. Here’s how our response process helps ensure seamless patient transitions.”

Clearly understanding their world allows you to become the partner discharge planners consistently trust.

Outstanding Care Leads to Lasting Trust

Excellent patient care creates trust. Exceptional care directly shapes conversations, making each follow-up meaningful and valuable. Instead of routine check-ins, you offer helpful updates on outcomes, patient progress, and success stories that planners can leverage internally.

Here’s how excellent care strengthens your referral relationships:

• It creates satisfied patients. Better patient experiences mean fewer complaints, reduced rehospitalizations, and lower stress for discharge planners.
  
  
• It transforms follow-ups into valuable conversations. Check-ins become interactions planners welcome, knowing you'll provide meaningful insights they can share internally.
  
  
• It builds lasting referral loyalty. Planners repeatedly return to agencies that deliver exceptional patient care, and every successful case reinforces their trust.

Outstanding care is the fastest way to turn case managers into loyal referral advocates.

Going Above and Beyond: Earning Lasting Trust

Every agency promises good care. What separates your agency is proactively anticipating and solving problems before discharge planners notice. Taking initiative on challenging cases or complex insurance scenarios positions you as an essential partner who eases their workload.

For instance, volunteering to handle a complicated case that planners struggle to place demonstrates genuine partnership. Offering to step in on complex cases communicates your willingness to go beyond standard expectations.

If you notice potential issues emerging with patient progress, update discharge planners immediately with transparent and actionable information. Proactive communication shows accountability and signals ownership of outcomes, making you a trusted partner who adds value to their workflow.

Example of proactive messaging:

“We noticed your patient had challenges stabilizing blood sugar. Our nurse proactively adjusted the care plan today, and we'll continue to provide updates when necessary."

When discharge planners consistently see your agency anticipating and actively managing their challenges, they rely on you more deeply, strengthening trust with every interaction.

The Golden Rule: Under Promise, Over Deliver

Proactive problem-solving makes you indispensable, transforming discharge planners into advocates.

Trust thrives when you consistently keep your promises and exceed expectations. Discharge planners value reliability above all else, and nothing proves your reliability better than setting clear, achievable commitments—and surpassing them every time.

Make realistic promises you know you can keep. Clearly state your commitment, but always aim to do better. For example:

“We guarantee every referral is seen within 48 hours. Our goal is next day.”

Then, exceed those promises consistently and communicate your achievements:

“Quick update: We promised a 24-hour turnaround, and our nurse saw [patient name] today.”

Regularly surpassing expectations – and communicating that you've done so – builds a deep sense of reliability. Discharge planners trust agencies that reliably outperform expectations, turning them into loyal partners who continually seek you out first.

Consistently surpass expectations to become their trusted, long-term partner.

Your Agency, Their First Call

Winning referrals demands exceptional care, rapid responses, and rock-solid relationships. Anticipate discharge planners’ pain points, solve problems proactively, and consistently surpass expectations; proven strategies like these transform discharge planners into loyal advocates who choose your agency first every time.

This is a lot to handle from your EMR and a spreadsheet… Ready to elevate your referral management with ReferraLynx? Start strengthening your hospital relationships today.