Transferring a Patient to Another Nourish RD

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While we do everything in our power to correctly match patients with providers, there are times when patients would be better served by transferring to another Nourish dietitian, such as when a very clear mismatch in specialty or availability is present.

Please carefully review the material below for instructions on facilitating patient transfers.

If you’re unable to attend a scheduled session—whether initial or follow-up—it is your responsibility to reschedule.

To reschedule:

• Contact the patient to find a new time.

• Use the edit pencil in the Nourish Calendar to move the session to the agreed-upon time.

• Do not use the built-in reschedule function.

• Update the session status after rescheduling.

If no mutually agreeable time can be found, initiate a provider transfer using the process below.

There are a few reasons why you may wish to transfer a patient to a new Nourish dietitian.

• You're not an expert in the patient's specialty needs / requests.

• You, or the patient, had a schedule change and availability is no longer compatible.

• Your patient is moving to a red state which you are not currently licensed in.

• Your patient notifies you that they wish to switch dietitians.

For the best patient experience, do your best to identify potential transfer needs as soon as the patient schedules with you. If there is ambiguity or you need additional information to confirm that a transfer is necessary, please see the patient for the initial session to determine the necessity and, if needed, to establish clear next steps to facilitate the transfer.

If a nutrition assessment was completed, ensure your chart notes are detailed and actionable to support a smooth transition to the next provider.

There are two main ways to initiate a provider transfer:

1. (Best Practice) Let the Patient Choose a New Dietitian
This is the preferred method.

Steps:

• Notify the patient and explain the reason for the transfer.

• Provide the 'request a new dietitian' link.

• Cancel your scheduled session after sending the link to clearly communicate that the appointment will not take place.

Patient Communication Template:

Hi [Patient first name],

My name is [Your name] and I wanted to reach out regarding transferring you to another Nourish dietitian, as I [provide your general reasoning for having to transfer here].

The easiest way to find a new dietitian suited to your needs is by using our 'request a new dietitian' link. You’ll be asked a few questions to help match you with someone who aligns with your goals.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. Thank you!

Best,
[Your name]

2. Transfer to a Specific Dietitian

For use only if you’ve already arranged for another Nourish dietitian to accept the patient.

Steps:

• Notify the patient of the transfer and introduce the new provider.

• Submit the internal Transfer Request Form.

• There is no need to email support@usenourish.com after submitting the form.

Alternate Patient Communication Template:

Hi [Patient first name],

I wanted to connect with you about transferring your care to another Nourish dietitian, as I [provide your general reasoning for having to transfer here].

I’ve spoken with our Clinical Team, and located another great match for you! Our Customer Experience team will be contacting you once the transfer is complete, and share more information on how to schedule a new appointment.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Thank you!

Best,
[Your name]

Important: In both scenarios, cancel any existing appointments once the transfer is initiated. This ensures clear communication and avoids confusion.

Patients also have the option to request a new provider on their own.

• Patients can do this through their Patient Portal, under the Appointments tab.

• They will complete a brief intake flow to be matched with a new provider.

• Once the transfer is processed, both the new and previous dietitian will be notified and provided with the transfer rationale to ensure continuity of care.