Faxing medical forms
Doctors' offices, clinics and insurers still run on fax. These guides cover the whole trip, from a readable scan to proof that the right pages arrived.
Why medical offices still ask for a fax
A fax goes from one machine to another number the office controls, and the receiving machine confirms each page. That is why referrals, records requests, prior authorizations and insurance forms are still faxed every day. You don't need a fax machine to send one - your iPhone camera and an app are enough. Start with sending medical forms to a doctor's office by fax.
Three things that decide whether it works
- A readable scan. Small print, signatures and checkboxes are what gets lost. Flat page, good light, high contrast - see how to scan documents for a fax.
- A clear cover sheet. The patient's name, a callback number, who the fax is for and the page count. The cover sheet guide shows what to include and what to leave off.
- Proof it arrived. Keep the delivered record with the time and page count, and call if you don't hear back - how to confirm a fax was received.
If the office needs to fax something back to you, you need a fax number of your own for a while: how to receive a fax on iPhone.
All medical fax guides
Sending medical forms to a doctor's office by fax
How to get a referral, records request or insurance form to a clinic by fax from your phone, and how to be sure it arrived.
Fax number lookup: how to find a fax number
Fax number lookup that works - where to find an office's fax number, a free official lookup for doctors, and how to check a number before you send.
How to scan a document with your iPhone so it faxes clearly
Lighting, background, angle and page order. Simple habits that keep a faxed page readable on the other end.
What to put on a fax cover sheet (with a free template)
The six things every fax cover sheet needs, an example you can copy, and a free cover sheet maker that downloads a PDF.
How to confirm a fax was received
What a fax confirmation really proves, what "delivered" means, how to get proof you sent the right pages, and what to do when the office says they never got it.
Why a fax fails, and how to fix it
Busy lines, no answer, a number that isn't a fax line, and pages that come out unreadable. What each failure means and what to do next.
How to fax a PDF from your iPhone
Fax a PDF from Files, iCloud Drive or an email attachment, combine several PDFs into one fax, and get the page order right.
How to receive a fax on iPhone
An iPhone has no fax number of its own. Here is how to get one, how incoming faxes arrive, and how to receive a fax just once without signing up for a subscription.