What does it mean when a doctor calls in a "marker" in regards to anot!
Question:
What does it mean when a doctor calls in a "marker" in regards to another doctor?
I heard it when a gastroenterologist referred a patient to a rheumatologist. The gastroenterologist said that he had seen some of the rheumatologist's patients when he asked him to, so he (the gastroenterologist) was calling in a "marker" on the rheumatologist. Then when I heard the nurse call the rheumatologist's office to make an appt, she said that Dr "Gastroenterologist" was calling in a marker for Dr "Rheumatologist".
Answers:
Calling in a marker means calling someone who owes you a favor. A "marker" is the term used for the slip of paper people got when they bet the numbers, an old illegal gambling game.
In this case it is probably hard to get into see that doctor or one from that specialty so the other doctor is going to ask someone to return a favor.