A referral to Florida CARES should include, as specifically as possible, the circumstances underlying the present concerns. Thus, the referral should be accompanied by documentation outlining the present problem. This information could include the complaint, investigative summary, or transcripts from Board Meetings. The information is critical for Florida CARES to tailor the program to address the specific referral question.
After receiving this information from the referral source, the physician will be mailed a Florida CARES application form. This form outlines the physician’s education and scope of practice. At this time the physician is asked to provide a list of his or her 100 last consecutive patients, including patient age, gender and instant diagnosis. Obtaining this list allows the Florida CARES evaluation to provide assessment in terms of what the physician actually does in practice. After the application and patient list are received, Florida CARES can usually schedule the evaluation within six weeks.