Reasons for referral from general practice in Finland

Vehviläinen, Arto T.; Kumpusalo, Esko; Takala, Jorma

doi:10.3109/02813439709043429

Cited by 12 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This result is similar that found earlier in the UK (7). The preceding results of waiting times and reasons of referral were in accord with previous findings (8,9). Waiting times in Finland are among the longest in Europe (10).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Discrepancies between the assessed urgency and the actual time taken to obtain a consultation with an internist

Vehviläinen

1998

Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care

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patients who were assessed to require examination by a consultant Design -Retrospective evaluation of referrals to three hospitals within 1 week only 34% actually saw the specialist within that time. during 1 week.Of those patients who were assessed to be require the treatments Setting -Referrals to internal medicine departments of Kuopio Uniwithin 8 -30 days, 48% were examined by a specialist within that time. versity Hospital, Kajaani central hospital and Pieksämäki regional Conclusion -It is possible to reliably assess the urgency of referrals hospital in Finland.to internal medicine departments. There is a need to improve the Participants -Two specialists in internal medicine working in univerreferral process for those patients requiring consultation with a sity hospital and four specialists in general practice, two of whom hospital specialist within 30 days. were private sector general practitioners (GPs), the other two being Key words: primary health care, referral and consultations, corresponpublic health centre chief physicians.dence, waiting times, Finland. Outcome measures -Postreferral waiting times, assessment of the urgency of the referral by a panel of doctors, and the reliability of this assessment.Arto Veh7iläinen, MD, Department of Community Health and GenResults -Mean delay to specialist consultation was 36 days. There eral Practice, Uni7ersity of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1627, FIN-70211 were no significant differences between the assessors in their opinions Kuopio, Finland.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Discrepancies between the assessed urgency and the actual time taken to obtain a consultation with an internist

Vehviläinen

1998

Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care

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“…In other studies, too, the largest share of referrals to specialists has been to hospital outpatient clinics (3,4). Both groups of GPs sent fewer of their patients to the University Central Hospital of Turku at the end of the intervention than at its beginning, an outcome which is in accordance with the stated policy of the City of Turku's health authorities (16).…”

Section: Referrals To Specialists Working In the Pri×ate Sectorsupporting

confidence: 48%

Specialists as consultants to GPs.Private sector services as an alternative way of organising consultant services in health care

Ma¹

2001

Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care

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“…Many investigators have pointed to the doctor's letter of referral as one of the most significant cost factors in the health service (2,3). In practice, however, general practitioners deal with about 95% of their outpatients without any referral (4). They are also responsible for treating almost two-fifths of the acute exacerbations of obstructive pulmonary disease which require hospitalization (5).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does place of treatment affect prognosis for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

Lampela

Säynäjäkangas

Jokelainen

et al. 2008

European Journal of General Practice

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It is quite possible to treat acute exacerbations of COPD efficiently and safely in a health centre hospital ward. New treatment modalities and health service structures seem to have led to a decrease in acute exacerbations of COPD since the year 2000, even though the number of patients with this disease has increased as a consequence of ageing of the population. Further research is required on the efficacy of treatment by a general practitioner, e.g., with data on re-hospitalization.

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Reasons for referral from general practice in Finland

Cited by 12 publications

References 8 publications

Discrepancies between the assessed urgency and the actual time taken to obtain a consultation with an internist

Discrepancies between the assessed urgency and the actual time taken to obtain a consultation with an internist

Specialists as consultants to GPs.Private sector services as an alternative way of organising consultant services in health care

Does place of treatment affect prognosis for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?

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