INTERSPECIALTY COMMUNICATION can probably thwart unneeded visits, improve the selection of testing, provide a better estimate of the urgency of the visit from the perspective of the consultant, and improve communication on sensitive issues. The family physician may also learn more from an interaction such as a phone call than from a one-way referral letter at a later date, because of both the immediacy and the opportunity to ask questions. If this communication can do so much, why is there not more?