Physician referral ask template

Ben Argeband, Founder & CEO of Heartbeat.ai — Avoid guilt and pressure.

Physicians are hard to catch live. Your “quick question” hits between clinic, call, and charting, and a sloppy referral ask can burn the relationship you’re trying to use. This page gives you a low pressure referral ask workflow: when to ask, when not to ask, and copy/paste templates that are easy to forward and easy to decline.

TL;DR (When to use / When not to use)

• Use this when: you just got a helpful reply, finished a screening call, or you’re doing a post-start check-in.
• Do not use this when: your cold outreach got no response, you’re mid-negotiation, or there’s tension around scheduling/comp.
• Best channel: email for forwardable blurbs; text only inside an existing thread; voicemail for permission-based asks.
• Message structure: one sentence (role + location) + gratitude + easy out + forwardable blurb + opt-out.

• Length rules: keep the ask to one sentence; keep the forwardable blurb to 2–3 lines; include one contact method; include opt-out.

• Jump to: After a polite decline
• Jump to: After a screening call
• Jump to: Post-start check-in
• Jump to: Client physician leader

Who this is for

This is for Recruiters asking for referrals who need a clean way to ask physicians (and physician-adjacent contacts) for introductions without sounding transactional or pushy.

• You recruit physicians and want referrals without damaging trust.
• You need templates that fit email, text, and voicemail.
• You want timing rules so you’re not asking at the wrong moment.

Quick Answer

Core Answer

Use a one-sentence referral ask with role+location, gratitude, and an easy out; send only after a relevant interaction and include opt-out.

Key Insight

Referral asks work when they’re specific (one role, one location) and frictionless (a forwardable blurb). Long asks don’t get forwarded.

Best For

Recruiters asking for referrals who need relationship-safe outreach that still moves candidates into process.

Compliance & Safety

This method is for legitimate recruiting outreach only. Always respect candidate privacy, opt-out requests, and local data laws. Heartbeat does not provide medical advice or legal counsel.

Framework: “Make it easy” referral ask

If you want referrals from physicians, you have to reduce effort and reduce awkwardness. I use this “Make it easy” framework because it fits real clinic life and protects your reputation.

• One sentence ask: one role, one location, one reason you’re reaching out now.
• Role + location: physicians scan; don’t make them decode.
• Gratitude: thank them regardless of outcome.
• Easy out: permission to ignore or say “no” without follow-up guilt.
• Forwardable blurb: 2–3 lines they can paste without editing.
• Opt-out: a simple line that you will honor immediately.
• Timing rules: only ask after a relevant interaction.

The trade-off is… the shorter you make the ask, the less context you provide. You solve that by being specific (role + location + one relevant detail) and including a forwardable blurb.

Step-by-step method

Step 1: Choose the right referral source for the moment

Don’t default to “anyone you know.” Pick the source that matches what just happened.

• Warm candidate (they replied, took a call, or declined politely): ask for “one colleague who might be open.”
• Placed candidate (post-start, stable): ask for “one person like you” and keep it short.
• Client-side physician leader (medical director/chief): ask for “who’s respected locally” (not “who’s unhappy”).
• Community connector (program coordinator, alumni group admin): ask permission to share a forwardable note.

Step 2: Pick the channel and match it to the moment

Step 3: Apply timing rules (when to ask / when not to ask)

Referral asks are relationship math. Ask when you’ve earned attention; don’t ask when you’re interrupting it.

Operational rule: only send a referral ask after a relevant interaction (reply, call, placement milestone, or explicit permission). That rule is the uniqueness of this workflow: it keeps the ask low pressure and protects your brand.

Step 4: Make forwarding effortless

If they have to rewrite your message, you won’t get forwarded. Always include a blurb they can paste into a group text or email.

• Keep the blurb to 2–3 lines.
• Include role + location + one detail that matters (schedule, call, team, or scope).
• Include your name and one contact method.

Step 4b: What to do when you get an intro

1. Reply fast and keep it short: thank them, confirm role + location, and offer two ways to connect (call or text).
2. Protect the referrer: don’t overshare; don’t imply endorsement; don’t loop the referrer into back-and-forth.
3. Close the loop: send a thank you to the referrer (even if the candidate passes).

Thank-you template (text): “Thanks for the intro — I’ll keep it tight. Appreciate you.”

Thank-you template (email): “Thanks for connecting us. I’ll take it from here and keep you out of the back-and-forth. Appreciate the help.”

Step 5: Add opt-out and honor it across systems

For email and text, include a simple opt-out line and actually suppress future outreach. This is a baseline practice to reduce complaints and protect your outreach reputation.

• Email/text example: “If you’d rather not get messages like this, reply ‘opt-out’ and I’ll stop.”
• Text hygiene add-on: “Reply ‘wrong number’ if I reached the wrong person.”

Team note: if multiple recruiters share outreach, keep one central suppression list so an opt-out doesn’t get contacted again by someone else.

Diagnostic Table:

Use this to choose the right referral ask style based on relationship stage and risk. If you’re unsure, pick the option that is easiest to forward and easiest to decline.

Heartbeat.ai note: keep referral asks as a separate step from initial sourcing so you can enforce timing rules and apply opt-out suppression cleanly.

Weighted Checklist:

Score your message before you send it. If you can’t hit 8/10, rewrite.

• (3 points) One sentence ask that includes role + location.
• (2 points) Includes gratitude (thanks regardless of outcome).
• (2 points) Includes an easy out (permission to ignore or say no).
• (1 point) Includes a forwardable blurb (2–3 lines).
• (1 point) Includes an opt-out line.
• (1 point) Sent only after a relevant interaction (reply/call/milestone/permission).

Pass/fail rule: if you feel tempted to add urgency, remove it and add specificity instead (one role, one location, one detail).

Outreach Templates:

Copy/paste these. Replace brackets. Keep the structure intact.

Subject lines that stay clean (email)

• Use: “Quick ask”, “Can I share a short note?”, “Referral question”
• Avoid: “URGENT”, “Last chance”, “Read this now”

Bracket fill examples (so juniors don’t overthink it)

• [role type]: “employed outpatient”, “hospital-employed”, “academic faculty”
• [1 detail]: “no inpatient”, “1:6 call”, “4-day clinic week”, “teaching available”
• [location]: “Phoenix, AZ”, “suburbs of Dallas”, “near Raleigh”

Template 1: After a polite “not interested” (email)

Subject: Quick ask

Hi [Dr. Lastname] — thanks for the quick reply. One question: do you know one [specialty] in/near [city/state] who might be open to hearing about a [role type] role?

If not, no worries at all — appreciate your time either way.

Forwardable blurb (paste/forward): “Hiring a [specialty] in [location] for [1 detail: schedule/call/scope]. If you’re open to details, contact [Your Name] at [email or number].”

If you’d rather not get messages like this, reply opt-out and I’ll stop.

Template 2: After a screening call (text)

Thanks again for the time today. Quick ask: do you know one [specialty] in [location] who’d at least take a look at a [role type] role? Totally fine if not.

Forwardable line: “Hiring [specialty] in [location] — [1 detail]. Contact [Your Name] at [number].”

Reply opt-out (or “wrong number”) if you don’t want recruiting texts from me.

Template 3: Post-start gratitude + referral (email)

Subject: Quick thank you

Hi [Dr. Lastname] — glad the first [week/month] is going well. Thank you again for trusting us with the move.

One small ask: if you think of one [specialty] in/near [location] who’d value a similar setup, I’d appreciate an intro. If not, all good.

Forwardable blurb: “Hiring a [specialty] in [location]. Similar setup to mine: [1 detail]. If you want details, reach [Your Name] at [email/number].”

If you’d rather not get messages like this, reply opt-out and I’ll stop.

Template 4: Client physician leader (permission to share)

Subject: Can I share a short note?

Hi Dr. [Lastname] — quick question. Would you be comfortable if I sent you a 2–3 line note you could forward to any [specialty] colleagues in [location] who might be open to a conversation?

If not, no problem — I know your inbox is packed.

If you’d rather not get messages like this, reply opt-out and I’ll stop.

Template 5: Community connector (permission + forwardable note)

Subject: Permission to share a short recruiting note?

Hi [Name] — quick question. Would it be okay if I shared a short note with your [group/program/alumni list] about a [specialty] role in [location]? If not, totally fine.

Forwardable note: “Hiring a [specialty] in [location] — [1 detail]. If you want details, contact [Your Name] at [email/number].”

If you’d rather not get messages like this, reply opt-out and I’ll stop.

Template 6: Voicemail (permission-based)

Hi Dr. [Lastname], this is [Your Name]. Quick question — if you’re not the right person for a [specialty] role in [location], could you point me to one colleague who might be open to hearing details? No pressure. You can reach me at [number].

Forwardable blurb library (pick one)

• Schedule-focused: “Hiring [specialty] in [location] — [schedule detail]. If you want details, contact [Your Name] at [number].”
• Academic-focused: “Hiring [specialty] in [location] — [teaching/research detail]. Contact [Your Name] at [email].”
• Rural/community-focused: “Hiring [specialty] in [location] — [community/coverage detail]. Contact [Your Name] at [number].”

Common pitfalls

• Asking too early: cold referral asks feel like you’re using the person. Use the timing table and wait for a relevant interaction.
• Making it a “list” request: “One colleague” works. “Send me names” doesn’t.
• Too many roles/locations: physicians won’t parse it. One role, one location.
• Removing the easy out: if they can’t decline comfortably, they’ll ignore you.
• Forgetting opt-out: you’re risking complaints and deliverability for no upside.
• Implying endorsement: don’t suggest someone recommended a candidate unless you have permission.

How to improve results

1) Treat referral asks as a separate workflow step

Don’t bury referral asks inside your cold sequence. Put them behind a trigger: “candidate replied,” “screen completed,” or “post-start check-in.” That enforces the timing rule and prevents accidental overuse.

2) Standardize the structure, customize only the context line

Consistency makes your team faster and reduces mistakes. Customize the first line (why you’re reaching out now), but keep the ask sentence structure the same.

3) Improve forwarding rate with a blurb-first habit

Write the forwardable blurb first, then write the ask. If the blurb isn’t clear in two lines, the ask is not ready.

4) Track the funnel so you fix the right step

Measure this by… logging each referral ask as: sent, replied, name provided, intro made, conversation booked. You’re looking for the step with the biggest drop-off so you can adjust the message or timing.

5) Keep opt-out suppression tight

Use Heartbeat.ai (or your ATS/CRM) to maintain a suppression list and apply it across email and text so opt-outs don’t get re-messaged. That protects your brand and keeps your outreach clean.

Legal and ethical use

Referral outreach is still outreach. Use it responsibly:

• Honor opt-out immediately across channels and systems.
• Don’t imply endorsement (“Dr. X recommended you”) unless you have explicit permission.
• Keep it truthful and specific; don’t oversell role details you can’t confirm.
• Do not include patient information or discuss cases. Keep outreach strictly about the role and the candidate’s interest.
• Texting note: keep texts to people you’ve already been in contact with (e.g., they texted you first, you have an active thread, or they asked for details by text) and respect local rules and candidate preferences. If they say stop, stop.
• Email rules: follow applicable requirements for commercial messages (identification, opt-out, and honoring opt-out requests). See the FTC’s guidance on CAN-SPAM: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business.

Evidence and trust notes

We avoid advice that depends on coercion or dark patterns. The standard here is legitimate recruiting purpose, minimal pressure, clear opt-out, and respect for privacy.

• How we think about acceptable use and data ethics: data ethics and acceptable use methodology.
• Primary compliance reference used on this page: FTC CAN-SPAM compliance guide.
• Related workflow templates: follow-up templates for physician recruiting.
• General trust methodology hub: Heartbeat trust methodology.

FAQs

What should a physician referral ask include?

Make it easy: one sentence with role + location, gratitude, an easy out, and a forwardable blurb. Add an opt-out line and honor it.

When is the best time to ask a physician for a referral?

After a relevant interaction: a helpful reply, a completed call, or a post-start check-in. Avoid asking right after cold outreach with no engagement.

How do I keep a referral ask low pressure?

Limit the request to one person, explicitly say “totally fine if not,” and make it easy to ignore without follow-up guilt. Don’t stack multiple asks in the same thread.

Should I ask for referrals by text?

Yes, if you’ve already been in contact with them (for example: they texted you first, you have an active thread, or they asked for details by text). Keep it short, include the forwardable line, and include opt-out (and “wrong number”) instructions.

Do I need an opt-out line in a referral ask?

Yes for email, and it’s also a good practice for text. If someone opts out, suppress them so they don’t get contacted again.

Next steps

• Pick one template and standardize it for your team (don’t over-customize).
• Implement the timing rule: referral asks only after a relevant interaction.
• Use the checklist to QA every message before it goes out.
• If you need a workflow that supports suppression and opt-out hygiene, start here: create a Heartbeat.ai account.

About the Author

Ben Argeband is the Founder and CEO of Swordfish.ai and Heartbeat.ai. With deep expertise in data and SaaS, he has built two successful platforms trusted by over 50,000 sales and recruitment professionals. Ben’s mission is to help teams find direct contact information for hard-to-reach professionals and decision-makers, providing the shortest route to their next win. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.