PURPOSE: This study describes referral completion from the perspectives of patients and primary care physicians and identifies predictors of adherence to the referral recommendation. METHODS: We observed a cohort of 776 referred patients from the offices of 133 physicians in 81 practices and 30 states. Referring physicians and patients completed self-administered questionnaires at the time of the referral decision and 3 months later. RESULTS: Physicians reported that 79.2% of patients referred had a specialist visit, and 83.0% of patients indicated they completed the referral. The most common reasons for not completing the referral were "lack of time" and patient belief that the "health problem had resolved." The kappa statistic for patient-physician agreement on referral completion was 0.34, indicating only fair concordance. Patients in Medicaid plans were less likely than others to complete the referral, and more likely to experience a health plan denial. A longer duration of the patient relationship with the primary care physician and physician/staff scheduling of the specialty appointment were both positive predictors of referral completion. CONCLUSIONS: About 8 in 10 patients referred from primary care complete a specialty referral within 3 months. Findings from this study suggest that referral completion rates may be increased by assisting patients with scheduling their specialty appointments and promoting continuity of care.
PURPOSE: This study describes referral completion from the perspectives of patients and primary care physicians and identifies predictors of adherence to the referral recommendation. METHODS: We observed a cohort of 776 referred patients from the offices of 133 physicians in 81 practices and 30 states. Referring physicians and patients completed self-administered questionnaires at the time of the referral decision and 3 months later. RESULTS: Physicians reported that 79.2% of patients referred had a specialist visit, and 83.0% of patients indicated they completed the referral. The most common reasons for not completing the referral were "lack of time" and patient belief that the "health problem had resolved." The kappa statistic for patient-physician agreement on referral completion was 0.34, indicating only fair concordance. Patients in Medicaid plans were less likely than others to complete the referral, and more likely to experience a health plan denial. A longer duration of the patient relationship with the primary care physician and physician/staff scheduling of the specialty appointment were both positive predictors of referral completion. CONCLUSIONS: About 8 in 10 patients referred from primary care complete a specialty referral within 3 months. Findings from this study suggest that referral completion rates may be increased by assisting patients with scheduling their specialty appointments and promoting continuity of care.
Authors: Christopher B Forrest; Paul Nutting; James J Werner; Barbara Starfield; Sarah von Schrader; Charles Rohde Journal: Med Care Date: 2003-02 Impact factor: 2.983
Authors: Christopher B Forrest; Paul A Nutting; Sarah von Schrader; Charles Rohde; Barbara Starfield Journal: Med Decis Making Date: 2006 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 2.583
Authors: Barbara Starfield; Klaus W Lemke; Terence Bernhardt; Steven S Foldes; Christopher B Forrest; Jonathan P Weiner Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2003 May-Jun Impact factor: 5.166
Authors: J Nwando Olayiwola; Daren Anderson; Nicole Jepeal; Robert Aseltine; Christopher Pickett; Jun Yan; Ianita Zlateva Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2016-03 Impact factor: 5.166