BACKGROUND: During 2009, there were 3.3 million outpatient attendances at outpatient clinics across Ireland. Up to 20 % of these are directed towards ENT services. AIMS: To determine the compliance rate of general practitioners with the ICGP referral guidelines. METHODS: One-hundred referrals received were compared to the ICGP standardised form and graded accordingly. Each referral letter was graded to a maximum of 37 points. RESULTS: The average score recorded for referrals was 16/37. The referrer detail section scored the highest with a mean of 75.42 % (paediatric referrals) and 72.9 % (adult referrals). The clinical information provided demonstrated compliance rates of 34 % (paediatrics) and 35 % (adults). In total, only 32 letters made any reference to findings on examination. Both paediatric and adult referrals scored an average of 42 % when patients' details are considered. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates poor compliance rates with the introduced ICGP standardised referral form, which has implications for the accurate grading of referral letters received.
BACKGROUND: During 2009, there were 3.3 million outpatient attendances at outpatient clinics across Ireland. Up to 20 % of these are directed towards ENT services. AIMS: To determine the compliance rate of general practitioners with the ICGP referral guidelines. METHODS: One-hundred referrals received were compared to the ICGP standardised form and graded accordingly. Each referral letter was graded to a maximum of 37 points. RESULTS: The average score recorded for referrals was 16/37. The referrer detail section scored the highest with a mean of 75.42 % (paediatric referrals) and 72.9 % (adult referrals). The clinical information provided demonstrated compliance rates of 34 % (paediatrics) and 35 % (adults). In total, only 32 letters made any reference to findings on examination. Both paediatric and adult referrals scored an average of 42 % when patients' details are considered. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates poor compliance rates with the introduced ICGP standardised referral form, which has implications for the accurate grading of referral letters received.
Authors: Lesley A Stainkey; Isaac A Seidl; Andrew J Johnson; Gladys E Tulloch; Tilley Pain Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2010-11-04 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: P Vermeir; D Vandijck; S Degroote; R Peleman; R Verhaeghe; E Mortier; G Hallaert; S Van Daele; W Buylaert; D Vogelaers Journal: Int J Clin Pract Date: 2015-07-06 Impact factor: 2.503