Referrals to outpatient clinics for internal medicine on a variety of common topics and reasons for referral, such as fatigue, jaundice, FUO, weight loss.
Conditions
Interventions
Structured written posted feedback reports per GP giving an assessment of the rationality of referrals with recommendations for future changes in referral behaviour. Such reports are to be sent at lea
Sponsors
Maastricht University Medical Centre
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. GP working in the Maastricht area; 2. Patients with first referrals for the health conditions for which referral guidelines were developed.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. GP working outside the Maastricht area; 2. GP with only few or incidental referrals to Maastricht University Hospital outpatient clinics for internal medicine; 3. Referrals to internal medicine for other clinical problems than those covered by guidelines.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| The number of non-rational referrals per GP. Of each referral, the rationality is assessed by comparing the information provided by the GP in the referral letter with recommendations for rational referrals and indications for referrals as previously set by a regional expert team. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Number of referrals, quality and amount of information provided in referral letters. | — |
Contacts
Public ContactRon A.G. Winkens
University Hospital Maastricht, Integrated care unit (Bze-7), P.O. Box 5800
Outcome results
None listed