Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Ali Janati
Data de Publicação: 2017
Outros Autores: Abolgasem Amini, Davoud Adham, Mansour Naseriasl
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Cadernos de Saúde Pública
Texto Completo: https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353
Resumo: Establishing effective communication between general practitioners (GPs) and medical specialists is a key component of the referral system. Written communication between GPs and medical specialists is the most common communication tool. This study was conducted to evaluate quality (information content) of the referral letters written by GPs and addressed to gynecologists and cardiologists. We evaluated quality of the referral letters through a cross-sectional study in the villages of Sarab city, located in East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran. The study was conducted during August and September 2015 in which a total of 400 referral letters were evaluated according to specific quality criteria. Cluster sampling was implemented and data were collected using an instrument designed by the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba, Canada. A specifically designed referral form was used to refer pregnant women to gynecologists. Referrals addressed to gynecologists showed better quality in comparison to cases referred to cardiologists. Legibility of referral letters was 73%. It is recommended that agreed-upon referral letters be designed cooperatively for different groups of diseases. Furthermore, primary health care providers should be trained to write proper referral letters.
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spelling Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural IranReferral and ConsultationGeneral PractitionersPrimary Health CareEstablishing effective communication between general practitioners (GPs) and medical specialists is a key component of the referral system. Written communication between GPs and medical specialists is the most common communication tool. This study was conducted to evaluate quality (information content) of the referral letters written by GPs and addressed to gynecologists and cardiologists. We evaluated quality of the referral letters through a cross-sectional study in the villages of Sarab city, located in East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran. The study was conducted during August and September 2015 in which a total of 400 referral letters were evaluated according to specific quality criteria. Cluster sampling was implemented and data were collected using an instrument designed by the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba, Canada. A specifically designed referral form was used to refer pregnant women to gynecologists. Referrals addressed to gynecologists showed better quality in comparison to cases referred to cardiologists. Legibility of referral letters was 73%. It is recommended that agreed-upon referral letters be designed cooperatively for different groups of diseases. Furthermore, primary health care providers should be trained to write proper referral letters.Un componente esencial del sistema de derivación de pacientes es la comunicación efectiva entre médicos generales y especialistas. La comunicación escrita es la herramienta de comunicación más común entre médicos generales y especialistas. El estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la calidad (contenido de la información) de cartas de derivación escritas por médicos generales y dirigidas a ginecólogos y cardiólogos. Los autores evaluaron la calidad de las cartas de derivación, a través de un estudio transversal en aldeas en torno a la ciudad de Sarab, localizada en la provincia de Azerbaiyán Oriental, en el noroeste de Irán. El estudio se realizó entre agosto y setiembre de 2015, cuando 400 cartas de derivación se evaluaron en base a criterios específicos de calidad. El estudio adoptó la muestra por aglomerados y los datos se recogieron a través de un instrumento desarrollado por el Departamento de Medicina Familiar de la Universidad de Manitoba, Canadá. Se proyectó un formulario específicamente para derivar a las mujeres a ginecología. Las cartas de derivación para ginecología mostraron calidad superior, cuando se comparan a los casos derivados a cardiología. La proporción de cartas legibles fue de un 73%. Se recomienda que las cartas de derivación sean desarrolladas en cooperación entre los departamentos, para diferentes grupos de enfermedades. Asimismo, los médicos de atención primaria deben estar capacitados para reenviar cartas de derivación adecuadas.Um componente essencial do sistema de encaminhamento de pacientes é a comunicação efetiva entre clínicos gerais e especialistas. A comunicação escrita é a ferramenta de comunicação mais comum entre clínicos gerais e especialistas. O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade (conteúdo da informação) de cartas de encaminhamento escritas por clínicos gerais e dirigidas a ginecologistas e cardiologistas. Os autores avaliaram a qualidade das cartas de encaminhamento através de um estudo transversal em aldeias em torno da cidade de Sarab, localizada na Província de Azerbaijão Oriental, no Noroeste do Irã. O estudo foi realizado em agosto e setembro de 2015, quando 400 cartas de encaminhamento foram avaliadas com base em critérios específicos de qualidade. O estudo adotou a amostragem por aglomerados, e os dados foram coletados através de um instrumento desenvolvido pelo Departamento de Medicina Familiar da Universidade de Manitoba, Canadá. Um formulário foi projetado especificamente para encaminhar as mulheres à ginecologia. As cartas de encaminhamento para a ginecologia mostraram qualidade superior quando comparadas aos casos encaminhados à cardiologia. A proporção de cartas legíveis foi 73%. Recomenda-se que cartas de encaminhamento sejam desenvolvidas em cooperação entre os departamentos, para diferentes grupos de doenças. Além disso, os médicos de atenção primária devem ser capacitados para redigir cartas de encaminhamento adequadas.Reports in Public HealthCadernos de Saúde Pública2017-03-30info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontext/htmlapplication/pdfhttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353Reports in Public Health; Vol. 33 No. 2 (2017): FebruaryCadernos de Saúde Pública; v. 33 n. 2 (2017): Fevereiro1678-44640102-311Xreponame:Cadernos de Saúde Públicainstname:Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)instacron:FIOCRUZenghttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353/13532https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353/13533Ali JanatiAbolgasem AminiDavoud AdhamMansour Naseriaslinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess2024-03-06T15:29:16Zoai:ojs.teste-cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br:article/6353Revistahttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csphttps://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/oaicadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br||cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br1678-44640102-311Xopendoar:2024-03-06T13:07:16.221783Cadernos de Saúde Pública - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)true
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
title Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
spellingShingle Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
Ali Janati
Referral and Consultation
General Practitioners
Primary Health Care
title_short Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
title_full Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
title_fullStr Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
title_sort Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran
author Ali Janati
author_facet Ali Janati
Abolgasem Amini
Davoud Adham
Mansour Naseriasl
author_role author
author2 Abolgasem Amini
Davoud Adham
Mansour Naseriasl
author2_role author
author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Ali Janati
Abolgasem Amini
Davoud Adham
Mansour Naseriasl
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Referral and Consultation
General Practitioners
Primary Health Care
topic Referral and Consultation
General Practitioners
Primary Health Care
description Establishing effective communication between general practitioners (GPs) and medical specialists is a key component of the referral system. Written communication between GPs and medical specialists is the most common communication tool. This study was conducted to evaluate quality (information content) of the referral letters written by GPs and addressed to gynecologists and cardiologists. We evaluated quality of the referral letters through a cross-sectional study in the villages of Sarab city, located in East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran. The study was conducted during August and September 2015 in which a total of 400 referral letters were evaluated according to specific quality criteria. Cluster sampling was implemented and data were collected using an instrument designed by the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba, Canada. A specifically designed referral form was used to refer pregnant women to gynecologists. Referrals addressed to gynecologists showed better quality in comparison to cases referred to cardiologists. Legibility of referral letters was 73%. It is recommended that agreed-upon referral letters be designed cooperatively for different groups of diseases. Furthermore, primary health care providers should be trained to write proper referral letters.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017-03-30
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353
url https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353/13532
https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/6353/13533
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eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv text/html
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Reports in Public Health
Cadernos de Saúde Pública
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Reports in Public Health
Cadernos de Saúde Pública
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Reports in Public Health; Vol. 33 No. 2 (2017): February
Cadernos de Saúde Pública; v. 33 n. 2 (2017): Fevereiro
1678-4464
0102-311X
reponame:Cadernos de Saúde Pública
instname:Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
instacron:FIOCRUZ
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instacron_str FIOCRUZ
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reponame_str Cadernos de Saúde Pública
collection Cadernos de Saúde Pública
repository.name.fl_str_mv Cadernos de Saúde Pública - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)
repository.mail.fl_str_mv cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br||cadernos@ensp.fiocruz.br
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