E-referral Solutions: Successful Experiences, Key Features and Challenges- a Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Health Systems Research
• Healthcare Management
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Global health systems face increasing pressure from aging populations and rising demands for services.
• Referral solutions are crucial for managing these pressures and reducing transactional costs.
• Identifying successful referral strategies is essential for healthcare system improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify successful referral solutions implemented in various healthcare systems.
• To analyze the key features and outcomes of effective referral models.
• To provide insights for optimizing healthcare referral processes.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases using keywords related to referrals and healthcare systems.
• Initial retrieval yielded 4306 articles, which were then refined through a step-by-step process.
• A final selection of 27 articles met the inclusion criteria for the study.

Main Results:

• Seventeen e-referral systems were identified across the UK, Norway, Finland, Netherlands, Denmark, Scotland, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and the U.S.
• These implemented solutions showed varied successes, including improved access to specialist care.
• Benefits also encompassed reduced wait times, enhanced referral communication quality, accurate health information transfer, and better integration of health services.

Conclusions:

• Referral solutions possess both positive attributes and areas for improvement, contingent on sociotechnical contexts.
• Current successful referral solutions are often developed on a small, localized scale.
• Further development should consider broader implementation and adaptation to diverse healthcare environments.