Author
Bowtie Team
Updated on
2025-08-06
Disclaimer: This article is translated with the assistance of AI.
Ever wondered what referral letters are truly for, aside from skipping long waits at public hospitals? The Bowtie team dives into their key roles, validity periods, fees at public and private hospitals, plus must-know tips on whether you need one for VHIS and critical illness insurance claims.
What is a Referral Letter? What is Its Purpose?
According to the current regulations of the Hospital Authority, all new specialist outpatient appointments at public hospitals require a referral letter issued by a registered doctor to be scheduled. The referral letter must detail the patient’s condition, diagnosis, required treatments, and include the issuance date, along with the doctor’s signature and stamp to be valid.
Besides booking new specialist outpatient appointments at public hospitals, holding a referral letter also allows you to visit private hospitals or medical institutions for various examinations, such as physiotherapy, CT Scan , MRI Scan , 3D Mammogram, Echocardiogram , liver fibrosis scan, bone density scan , and more. Many private hospitals, clinics, or medical groups even offer discounts to patients with public hospital referral letters, along with expedited booking and examination services.
Can a Referral Letter Shorten Waiting Times at Public Hospital Specialist Clinics?
Waiting times for public hospital specialist outpatient services can be lengthy. For example, in ophthalmology, the median waiting time across hospital clusters ranged from 42 to 85 weeks in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, with the longest waits reaching up to 180 weeks.
Public hospitals prioritize appointments based on the details in the referral letter, with doctors assessing the urgency of the patient’s condition. In other words, if the referral letter clearly indicates the severity of the condition, the urgency for examination, or supporting evidence, patients can often get shorter waiting times or priority treatment.
Conversely, if the referral letter lacks clear details on symptoms, has incomplete information, or if the condition is relatively mild, longer waiting times may apply.
Referral Letter Validity Period?
Currently, all new specialist outpatient appointments at public hospitals require a referral letter issued by public or private doctors, valid within 3 months to avoid delays in treatment. If patients do not register for an appointment within 3 months of the referral letter’s issuance, they must provide a new referral letter to reschedule.
Do Referral Letters Cost Money?
Referral letters issued by doctors in public hospitals are completely free. As for private hospitals, based on our Bowtie team’s research, currently only Canossa Hospital lists a fee of $350 for referral letters.
Need Referral Letter for Insurance Claims?
VHIS
When claiming under VHIS, insurance companies usually require policyholders to provide various relevant documents, including a referral letter .
Take Bowtie as an example: After completing treatment, policyholders just need to submit the required documents online, including the referral letter . A claims specialist will follow up on the case, assist with compensation estimates, and provide claim status updates. The claims process is super straightforward.
Click here to check out the claims notes for Bowtie VHIS .
Critical Illness Insurance
Whether a referral letter is needed for critical illness insurance claims depends on the policies of different insurance companies. Generally, insurers require applicants to prepare the following documents, which may include a referral letter:
- Critical illness coverage claim form
- Proof of insured’s identity
- All original receipts (stating the insured’s name, diagnosed condition, and treatment details)
- Other medical records (such as referral letter, pathology report, lab report, etc.)
However, for Bowtie critical illness insurance claims, policyholders only need to provide the claim application form (filled out by the doctor based on the confirmed critical illness before discharge) and examination reports (if any) .
Click here to check out the claims notes for Bowtie Term CI .
Accident Insurance
To apply for accident insurance compensation, you generally need to submit the following documents to the insurance company:
- Hospital claim application form (to be filled out by the attending doctor)
- Original hospital/clinic receipts
If necessary, policyholders can also submit a referral letter to help the insurance company understand the case.
Click here to check out the claims notes for Bowtie Touch Wood Protector .
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