A referral is a recommendation by a primary care provider (like a family doctor) that a patient see a specialist or receive specific services. In Canada's healthcare system, most specialists require a referral from a family doctor or nurse practitioner before accepting patients. The referral system helps manage specialist resources by ensuring patients genuinely need specialized care and provides specialists with relevant patient history. Referral wait times are a significant healthcare concern, with some patients waiting months to see specialists. The process typically involves the referring doctor sending clinical information to the specialist's office, which then contacts the patient to schedule an appointment.