2026 Referral & Co-Management Guide for Physicians and Practice Managers

1. Who to send, and who not to send

Referrals go best when the patient has a defined, localized complaint and realistic expectations. We would rather decline a case than treat one unlikely to respond.

• Good fit: focal tendinopathy, osteoarthritis with preserved joint space, post-surgical recovery plateaus, chronic regional pain with prior imaging.
• Good fit: metabolic, hormone, or recovery workups where the referring clinician wants biomarker interpretation alongside their own plan.
• Usually declined: active infection, untreated malignancy, unexplained weight loss, red-flag neurology, or a patient seeking a guaranteed outcome.
• Always declined: requests to bypass evaluation, or to supply compounds without an in-person visit.

2. What the referral packet should contain

A short packet keeps the first visit clinical rather than administrative.

• Working diagnosis and duration of symptoms.
• Prior imaging reports (the report is usually enough; images on request).
• Treatments already tried, including injections, therapy, and medication trials.
• Relevant labs within twelve months, plus anticoagulation and immunosuppression status.
• What you want back: an opinion, a co-managed plan, or a procedure.

3. What the patient is told before anything is scheduled

Every patient receives written expectations before treatment: the evidence base and its limits, the expected number of sessions, recovery timeline, alternatives including doing nothing, and full pricing. Regenerative treatments are largely not covered by insurance and we say so up front.

Many peptides discussed in our educational library are not FDA-approved for the uses described. That language appears on the patient-facing pages and in consultation.

4. What comes back to you

A consultation note within one business week, the written plan given to the patient, and a follow-up note documenting functional change rather than symptom score alone. If we decline the case, you get the reasoning in writing.

5. Co-management options for practices

Practice managers can set up a named coordinator, a standing referral form, and shared scheduling windows so patients are not bounced between front desks.

• Named care coordinator and direct line for your staff.
• Agreed turnaround: intake contact within one business day.
• Quarterly case review for practices sending recurring referrals.
• On-site or small-group clinical sessions for teams evaluating regenerative options.

6. Questions to ask any regenerative clinic

Use these when vetting us or anyone else.

• Is pricing written down before scheduling?
• Which presentations do you decline, and why?
• What is measured at follow-up, and on what interval?
• How are non-FDA-approved options disclosed to patients?
• Who performs the procedure, and what is their training?