Abstract: An Internet-based system and method facilitates interactive placing and acceptance of patient referrals within a health care community. A referring health care provider accesses the proposed specialty clinic or other provider through the system, identifies the patient and pertinent medical conditions, and responds to interactive queries put by the system to qualify the patient and his or her medical condition for the referral. The system automatically accepts or rejects the referral, proposes prior tests or treatments for the patient before another referral attempt is made, or accepts the referral subject to tests being completed. Accepted referrals are then scheduled by staff depending on their urgency as indicated in the interactive querying system. Rules governing the interactive querying are set by physicians and managers of the community and can be changed as conditions warrant.