[Neurology referrals in Troms and Finnmark]

A system of giving all patients referred to hospital a guaranteed priority has been introduced in Norway. We wished to investigate whether the frequency of first- time referrals from general practioners to neurological out-clinics varied between the two northernmost counties and between selected municipalities in that region of Norway.

We studied referrals for specialist consultations at the neurological out-clinic in Tromsø during 12 months. Inclusion criteria were: 1) referral from a general practitioner and 2) referral for diagnosis.

Of totally 2260 referred patients, 1265 were referred without a specific diagnosis (56 %). The mean age for patients referred from Finnmark county (45.5 years) was somewhat lower than for Troms county (48.0 years). The frequency of referral varied from 0.5 % in Troms and 0.6 % in Finnmark to 1 % in the small municipality of Lyngen. Neurological examination showed abnormal findings in about a third of the patients. Information about patients' ability to work was reported for 23 % of those referred. Locums were less likely to include this information.

In spite of a lower age and a greater distance to the out-clinic, there were slightly more referrals from Finnmark than from Troms. This may indicate that ambulatory organization of neurologists visiting patients in their home area involves no great change in referral practice.