Web-Based Referral Form Verses Adjustor Portal

Referral Form

A referral form is a Level 1 template page associated with the client's Referral Tracking system, formatted to the client's branding standards and connected to the client's website.

Referral Form Process

Someone accesses the form from the client web site, completes and submits the form.

• Once submitted, the person is shown an acknowledgment page perhaps with a tracking number, and perhaps an email confirming that the referral has been received.
• Internally, a Level 1 item is created from the information supplied with some status such as "web submitted", as these referrals need to be isolated until they can be reviewed - remember anyone can fill in the form.
• Once reviewed and accepted, the referral is processed as normal but the originator cannot interact with the referral and can only create additional referrals.

Referral Form Advantages

• Simple to set up - one form, formatted.
• Simple to use - go to website, complete form.

Referral Form Disadvantages

• Cannot provide access to any other information to the person as their access to the system is not authenticated, i.e they are not logged in.
• Internally, the referral needs to be linked to the adjustor profile.
• Does not provide a rich client experience and is not perceived to be a value-added service.

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Adjustor Portal

• Each contact in the system that needs to create referrals is activated as an external user.
• A portal is established for a role associated with these contacts.
• Within the portal access is provided to the same referral form as would be used with purely a referral form solution, but in addition access can be provided to additional features such as the review of previously submitted referrals and reports.

Adjustor Portal Process

• User goes to website and accesses a login page.
• User enters their username (email address) and password.
• User is presented with their portal and can choose from any functions enabled within the portal such as:

• Create new referral.
• Review existing referrals.
• Add Notes and receive on existing Referrals.
• Request additional Service on existing Referrals.
• Upload additional Medical documents.
• Receive Assessment and Quarterly Reports.
• Receive Vendor Invoices.
• Any other function supported by the portal.

• User completes their work and logs off the system.

Adjustor Portal Advantages

• Provides a value-added process with a high degree of interaction between the company and the adjustor.
• The referral created is fully linked to the adjustor and their company - this is not possible to do automatically using the referral form and must be done manually.
• New feature can be added at any time and become available to existing users.
• All access is secured.
• Vendors manage and control access to adjustor's portal.

Adjustor Portal Disadvantages

• Initially more work is required:

• Technically - portal needs to be created, contacts activated and testing is required.
• Adjustors need to be shown how to use the system.
• Vendors need to manage user access.

As new adjustors come on the system each will need to be activated and the company may end up having to answer some "technical" questions around logging in, etc.

• Additional reports may be required as the adjustor or a specific insurer, seeing that they can access the data in this way, will require special reports.
• Adjustors may not want to have to remember another password, log into another system and actually use any reports.