self-refer

verb

self-re·​fer ˌself-ri-ˈfər 

self-referred; self-referring; self-refers

intransitive verb

1

: to refer oneself to a health care provider (such as a physician)

students self-referring to mental health professionals

health plans that allow patients to self-refer

2

of a physician : to refer a patient to a specialized medical facility (such as a medical imaging center) in which the referring physician has a financial interest

Examples of self-refer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is my vision, a self-referring world, a world in which there is no escape. —Karl Ove Knausgaard, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025

Neale said that patients with preferred provider or exclusive provider organization insurance, which allows beneficiaries to self-refer to any doctor in their network, immediately gain access, while those with health management organization coverage must go through Anthem. —Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for self-refer

• zephyr