Become an EDFC Partner
A referral partnership for doctors and clinics who want specialist wound support without changing how their practice runs.
Key Takeaways
- A referral partnership suits doctors who want specialist backup without setting up a service.
- Your practice continues exactly as it is, with an expert pathway added behind it.
- Partners get direct clinical access for advice on difficult wounds.
- There is minimal setup and no infrastructure requirement.
What Is a Referral Partnership?
A referral partnership is a working relationship where a doctor or clinic continues their own practice but gains a defined pathway, and direct clinical access, for diabetic foot and complex wound cases.
It is the lightest of the three partnership options and the most common starting point. Nothing about your premises, staffing or practice model has to change.
Who Does It Suit?
- Diabetologists and physicians who see foot complications but do not manage wounds surgically
- General practitioners in towns without a wound service nearby
- Surgeons who handle acute problems but lack a follow-through pathway for chronic wounds
- Small hospitals wanting specialist support without building a department
What Does a Partner Actually Get?
The practical benefits are simple and immediate. You get direct access for clinical discussion on difficult wounds rather than sending a patient blindly. Your referred patients are assessed and returned to you with a written plan. Your staff can be trained in basic wound assessment and dressing technique. And you have somewhere reliable to send the cases that would otherwise drift between hospitals for months.
What Is Expected From a Partner?
Very little formally. Referring appropriate cases, keeping the shared follow-up plan for patients you continue to dress locally, and maintaining the clinical standards that make the pathway work. There is no volume commitment and no exclusivity requirement.
Is There a Cost?
A referral partnership does not require investment in infrastructure or equipment. Any commercial arrangement depends on the depth of collaboration agreed, for instance whether staff training or joint clinics are included, and it is discussed openly before anything is signed.
How Is This Different From Just Referring Patients?
Anyone can refer a patient, and referrals are always welcome without any partnership. The difference is structure: direct clinical access, guaranteed reporting back, trained staff on your side, and a shared plan for patients who cannot travel repeatedly.
If you want to run the service yourself rather than refer, look at starting services at your centre. For a dedicated centre, see the franchise route.
Have a concern about your feet?
Send us a photo on WhatsApp or book a consultation with Dr. Ashutosh Shah.