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An agenda for change in referral--consensus from general practice
E McColl1, J Newton, A Hutchinson
1Centre for Health Services Research, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Summary
General practitioners identified key areas for improving the referral process, including hospital waiting times and information flow. Proposed solutions involve creating service directories and standardizing urgent referral criteria for better primary to secondary care communication.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- General Practice
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Variations in primary to secondary care referral rates are a long-standing concern.
- Optimizing referral strategies requires understanding influences on physician behavior and identifying priority areas.
- Effective change necessitates developing actionable strategies for implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine general practitioners' priorities for improving the referral process.
- To establish an agenda for change involving general practitioners, providers, policymakers, and educators.
Main Methods:
- The Delphi technique was employed to achieve a consensus view.
- Focused interviews were conducted with general practitioners.
- Participants were recruited from Northumberland.
Main Results:
- Key themes identified include hospital waiting lists, open access policies, and information exchange between primary and secondary care.
- General practitioners' knowledge and training needs were highlighted as crucial factors.
- Proposed changes include developing hospital service directories and guidelines for using the term 'urgent' in referrals.
Conclusions:
- The suggested changes are practical and feasible.
- The responsibility for implementing these changes can be shared among general practice and other stakeholders.
- These initiatives aim to streamline the referral process and improve patient care pathways.