Following Up on a Wound Care Request

When a request seems to have gone quiet

Following up on a wound care request is reasonable, and no one will think less of you for asking. A request often passes through several hands: a hospital or doctor’s office, a fax machine, a scheduling desk, an insurance plan. It can stall at any of them without anyone noticing.

One organized phone call usually shows where things stand. This guide works whether you asked Gateway for care or another wound care team.

Gather what you know before you call

Spend five minutes collecting these first:

The date of the request and how it was made: web form, phone call or a referral sent by a hospital or doctor’s office
The name and phone number of the office that sent the referral, if there was one
The name of the team it was sent to
The patient’s full name and date of birth, the address where care is needed and the care setting
The phone number you gave for callbacks
Your insurance card

Check your phone as well. Look for missed calls from numbers you did not recognize, and make sure your voicemail is set up and not full.

What to say when you call

A useful opening is: “I am checking whether my wound care request was received and what the next step is.” Then ask four questions:

Did you receive the request, and on what date?
Is anything missing?
Who has the next step, your office, my doctor’s office or me?
When should I check back, and whom should I ask for?

Write down the name of the person you spoke with and the date.

Common reasons a request stalls

The request never arrived

Faxes go to old numbers, and referrals get written but not sent. Ask the referring office for the date and the number it used. Gateway’s referral fax is 314-786-7966, and professionals can also start from our referral page.

Something is missing

The receiving team may be waiting for records, an order, insurance details or a plan approval. Ask exactly what is needed and who can supply it. Our guides explain whether you need a referral for wound care, which wound care records to gather and how prior authorization works.

Nobody could reach you

A missed call from an unfamiliar number is a common cause of delay. Give a second number and the best time of day to call.

Availability is still being checked

Visits are confirmed by location and care setting. For care in Greater St. Louis or the Metro East, ask whether visits can be arranged at your address before you make other plans. Our service area page lists the communities where Gateway coordinates care. For someone in a facility, the building usually has to agree to the visit as well.

If your request was to Gateway

Call 314-325-0126. Our web form collects only a name and phone number, so we know very little until we have spoken with you. If you sent a request for care and have not heard from us, a call is the quickest way to connect.

We will tell you where things stand: whether we are waiting for records, confirming availability with a treating practice or need something from you. If visits cannot be arranged for your location or care setting, we will say so plainly so you can look elsewhere.

End every call with a clear next step

Before you hang up, make sure you can fill in these four lines:

Who is responsible for the next action
What exactly that person or office will do
When you should check back
The number to call and the person to ask for

If the next step belongs to another office, ask for the exact wording of what to request. “Please fax the discharge summary and current wound orders” gets a faster result than “they need some paperwork.”

While you are waiting

A pending request is not care. Keep following the instructions from your current clinician, and contact that clinician about any change in the wound. Do not rely on a referral status message to answer a health concern.

Our guide on when to call a wound care specialist lists changes that need prompt attention. Gateway is not an emergency service. For an emergency, call 911.

Common questions

How long should I wait before following up on a request?

There is no set rule, and Gateway does not promise timing. If you were given a time frame, call when it has passed. If you were not, calling after a few business days to confirm the request arrived is reasonable. A wound that is changing should not wait on a referral. Take that to your current clinician now.

My doctor’s office says the referral was sent, but the wound care team says it never arrived. What now?

Ask the doctor’s office for the date, the method and the fax number it used. Then ask it to send the referral again and give you a confirmation. Call the receiving team later that day to confirm it arrived, and keep a note of who told you what.

Can I follow up on behalf of my parent or spouse?

Yes. Family members and caregivers can call Gateway directly, and any office can tell you how its process works. Sharing medical details is different. That usually requires the patient’s permission or legal authority to act for them. Our guide to who can receive wound care updates explains what offices typically ask for.

What if I am told visits are not available where I live?

Ask whether a different setting would work, such as an outpatient office or a video visit. Then ask your primary care or referring clinician for other options near you. Our guide to choosing a wound care provider in St. Louis lists questions to ask any team you are considering.

General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.

Updated October 2026

Following up on a wound care request.