If you want to use an independent healthcare facility for tests, ask your primary care physician — your general or family doctor (GP) — to give you a referral.As a private practitioner he or she is not obligated to use King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.“We want all of Bermuda to be able to make informed decisions concerning their healthcare,” said Director of the Cancer and Health Centre, Tara Soares.“Referral from doctors are not required for annual screening mammograms and for many bone density follow-up scans used to screen for osteoporosis. These services can be booked directly with us by the patient,” she added.Ultrasounds, on the other hand, do require a physician referral if you want insurance coverage.Jerome Reid, of Sonoview Imaging Ltd, and Ms Soares, said pregnant women who want to use their ultrasound services are having their GP’s write the referral.“We want all patients to know that they may still be referred to our facility directly through their primary care physician, which will typically be a general or family practitioner, for diagnostic mammograms, breast biopsies, ultrasound or bone densitometry studies,” said Ms Soares.A healthcare professional, who required anonymity, said many patients may not realise special arrangements their physicians have with specific labs, to send their business to them.“This is no more independent than a hospital physician referring to the hospital,” she said.Accreditation of a facility is also important in ensuring quality care standards are met and adhered to.The healthcare professional continued: “It seems to me the important point is how do individuals make good choices for themselves and have their voice heard if they have a preference, whoever they are seeing — GP or specialist.”The answer is really for you as the patient/client to decide which facility works best for you and insist that you have your tests done there.