[How was the referral sheet interpreted? Questionnaire on priority assessment of patients referred to orthopedic surgeons showed great differences between reviewers].

A questionnaire containing 15 simulated referrals for orthopedic specialist treatment was distributed to physicians in charge of determining priority. They were asked to consider each referral in a normal way and grade them in order of priority. The results overall showed great divergence; units with longer waiting lists assigned the patients lower priority than did units with short waiting lists. There is a pressing need for national guidelines in order to improve the referral sheet as an instrument of communication.