Referrals · Workqueues
What should I check when a referral is stuck in a workqueue?
Start by identifying the exact next action and the accountable owner. A referral can be visible in a workqueue yet still stall because the readiness criteria, aging rule, backup owner or exception path is unclear. The goal is to determine whether the item is waiting appropriately or has lost ownership.
First checks
Work through the workflow before escalating blindly.
- Name the exact task that should happen next.
- Confirm the current queue or pool and its primary owner.
- Check whether required documentation or authorization is complete.
- Confirm the expected aging threshold.
- Use the approved exception path instead of creating parallel work.
Ownership questions
- Who actively monitors this queue?
- Who covers it during absence?
- What indicates that the referral is ready for the next team?
- Who owns aged exceptions?
Avoid making the problem worse
Common failure patterns
- Creating duplicate work.
- Sending the same referral to multiple teams.
- Closing or moving work solely to reduce queue counts.
When to escalate
Escalate a suspected routing, access or configuration problem to the authorized internal application or IT team. Include the queue, expected next step, actual behavior and no-PHI operational impact.
Related resources
Continue with the closest workflow tool.
Referral triage card→Referral workqueue guide→Referral workflows→Boundary: Your organization’s approved policy, configuration, security controls and escalation process always control. HelpEpic is independent workflow guidance, not clinical advice or official Epic support. Never send HelpEpic patient names, DOBs, MRNs, screenshots, records, passwords, tokens or confidential internal information.