How do you say referral in Spanish?

"La referencia" is understood everywhere; many patients say "el pase." Between clinicians, "la interconsulta" is the formal term for a specialty consult.

How do you say appointment in Spanish?

"La cita." To schedule one: "hacer una cita." To confirm: "¿Tiene cita?" Note that "una cita" also means a date socially — context makes it clear in a clinic.

How do you ask about insurance in Spanish?

"¿Tiene seguro médico?" and "¿Trae su tarjeta del seguro?" (Did you bring your insurance card?). For self-pay, "¿Va a pagar por su cuenta?"

Appointments and Referrals in Spanish

Most Spanish-speaking patients meet the front desk before they meet a clinician, and most missed appointments trace back to a scheduling conversation that went wrong. This vocabulary covers appointments, referrals, insurance, and follow-up.

English	Spanish	Audio
appointment	la cita
referral	la referencia / el pase Also "la interconsulta" in clinical settings.
to make an appointment	hacer una cita
to cancel	cancelar
to reschedule	cambiar la cita
follow-up appointment	la cita de seguimiento
waiting room	la sala de espera
front desk / reception	la recepción
insurance	el seguro médico
insurance card	la tarjeta del seguro
ID	la identificación
copay	el copago
bill	la factura / la cuenta
payment plan	el plan de pagos
forms / paperwork	los formularios / los papeles
signature	la firma
medical records	el expediente médico
pharmacy	la farmacia
What is your date of birth?	¿Cuál es su fecha de nacimiento?
What is your phone number?	¿Cuál es su número de teléfono?
The doctor is running late.	El doctor va con retraso.
Please arrive fifteen minutes early.	Por favor llegue quince minutos antes.

Using these terms with patients

Referral is "la referencia" or, colloquially, "el pase"; "la interconsulta" is what clinicians say to each other.
Confirm the appointment back in numbers and days: "El martes veintidós, a las diez de la mañana." Missed appointments usually start here.
Ask about barriers, not just availability: "¿Tiene cómo llegar?" surfaces transport problems before they become a no-show.

Go beyond vocabulary

Build clinical fluency with structured dialogues, audio practice, and 38.25 AAFP CME credits.

See the CME Course

Frequently Asked Questions

Medical Specialties and Healthcare Roles in Spanish27 terms Imaging and Lab Tests in Spanish18 terms History Taking in Spanish16 terms

← Browse all medical Spanish vocabulary topics