Reasons for referral to hospital.

In a study in North-east Scotland, nine out of ten patients had a "medical" reason for referral to hospital-in half it was the severity of their illness and in half the need for investigation or special treatment. One out of five patients was in need of intensive nursing care and one out of 20 patients had a social reason for admission to hospital. General practitioners with access to cottage hospital beds would choose to treat over one quarter of their own patients. The choice of hospital was influenced by the doctor's diagnostic certainty.