Rehabilitation service needs: physicians' perceptions and referrals.

A descriptive sample survey of physicians showed that 75% of physicians in an urban area had seen at least 1 patient in the past 6 months who was perceived as needing some type of rehabilitation service, whereas only 8% to 17% of physicians saw more than 25 such patients. Of those physicians who saw such patients, about 15% offered some type of rehabilitation service with their own staff. The great majority of physicians referred of rehabilitation service with their own staff. The great majority of physicians referred such patients elsewhere. Some physicians neither offered rehabilitation services nor referred their patients. A descriptive survey of all hospitals and all health/mental health/rehabilitation/vocational rehabilitation clinics showed that 70% of hospitals and 55% of the clinics offered some outpatient rehabilitation services. Home rehabilitation services were offered by very few organizations. It is concluded that physicians probably do not recognize the extent to which their patients need rehabilitation services and, in addition, may not adequately refer their patients for such services.