31.   A colleague who is an oncologist called to say he had referred a patient to me.

32.   A merger would allow the companies to refer patients to each other.

33.   After that a social worker with Adult Protective Services began referring homebound patients to him.

34.   But even doctors are uncomfortable talking about death, and many resist referring patients to a hospice, said Dr. Leigh Fredholm, medical director of Hospice Austin.

35.   But he said he would refer patients to such a service if it became available.

36.   But many also prescribe antibiotics and conventional treatments, and they refer patients to medical specialists when needed.

37.   But the new groups could also lose if established HMOs retaliated by no longer referring patients to them.

38.   But, in their guilty plea, HCA will admit that they were also kickbacks to induce doctors to refer more patients.

39.   But traditional efforts, which mainly depend on physicians to refer patients, are getting fewer responses.

40.   Combining the two companies will allow them to refer patients to one another as their conditions worsen or improve.