None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The data in this study offer evidence for the value of the referral writer, a computerised, interactive referral pro forma in improving the utility of referral letters when patients are referred for a specialist opinion. Comprehension referral letters, based on the evidence for the predictive value of various elements of the history and examination have a significant value in ensuring that the patient is seen by the right specialist at the right time.
Interventions
Part 1: For three months the participating General Practitioners (GPs) were asked to consent patients to allow access to their referral letters. The consent included access to the specialist diagnosis.
Part 2: The practitioners were invited to use the Referral Writer software to refer patients to the specialists. As in the phase before the Referral Writer we recorded the diagnosis of each patient referred to the specialists. The information relayed in each letter was scored before and after t
Part 1: For three months the participating General Practitioners (GPs) were asked to consent patients to allow access to their referral letters. The consent included access to the specialist diagnosis. Part 2: The practitioners were invited to use the Referral Writer software to refer patients to the specialists. As in the phase before the Referral Writer we recorded the diagnosis of each patient referred to the specialists. The information relayed in each letter was scored before and after the Referral Writer with reference to a published measure of the quality of referral letters in six specialties (Urology, Breast, Gynaecology, Upper Gastrointestinal, Colorectal, Respiratory). The duration of part 2 was four months, including one month to allow the practitioners to become familiar with the software. Part 1 and part 2 were back-to-back and the overall duration of the trial was a period of seven months.
Sponsors
WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
To be eligible for inclusion, a patient must satisfy ALL of the following: a) Present with symptoms that warrant specialist investigation; b) Receive a referral to an oncology breast, colorectal, lung, gynaecology, genitourinary or upper gastrointestinal specialist (surgical, medical or radiation); c) Able to undergo referral in Western Australia; d) >18 years of age; e) Available for follow-up for a minimum of three (3) months; f) Able to provide informed consent. General Practitioners in the Perth metropolitan area who use the following clinical management softwares were invited to participate: i)Medical Director II or III ii)Best Practice Software iii)Zedmed iv)Medtech
Exclusion criteria
Patients will be excluded from the study if they are unable to provide informed consent.
Outcome results
None listed