What does highlighting a patient in a workqueue and entering specific information accomplish when deferring a referral?

Highlighting a patient in a workqueue and entering specific information when deferring a referral serves to effectively move the referral to the Deferred tab. This process is important because it organizes referrals that require further action or follow-up at a later date, allowing healthcare staff to manage their workload more efficiently. By deferring a referral, the system acknowledges that the referral is not currently actionable, but still retains it for future reference. This ensures that patients are not lost in the workflow and that their referrals can be revisited when appropriate.

The other options do not accurately reflect the function of deferring a referral. For instance, referrals are not deleted or archived when deferred; instead, they remain accessible in a separate tab for later processing. Additionally, deferring a referral does not involve assigning it to a new doctor; it simply indicates a postponement in the handling of that specific referral.